Prodigal Returns
by dontrun
Summary: The night of Bella's high school graduation she lost the 2 most important men in her life. Now 6 years later she has to decide between letting the one who left her behind by choice back in, or losing him forever. But can she ever trust him again? hiatus
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thanks to the lovely TwiDi for cleaning up my mess :) Check out her story You Don't Know Anything *hint it's in my favs ;). **

**Chapter 1**

Bella watched as the last one of her class accepted his high school diploma from her seat in the first row. She smiled up at Edward her boyfriend and he gave her a wicked wink.

Edward was the class President, captain of the boys' baseball team, but more than anything else… he was _hers_ and everyone knew it. Bella looked down at the small diamond promise ring on her left hand and smiled again. Touching it gently, she remembered the day Edward had given it to her. Two years ago Edward had simply slipped it on her finger and said, "Sorry it took so long.", Not that she cared everyone in town knew Edward Cullen and Isabella Swan had been joined together from the crib and would be that way for the rest of their lives.

Edward gave her one of his crooked little-boy-going-bad grins from his seat next to the Principle's on the stage. Bella blushed when Edward continued to grin then boldly blew her a kiss. Sometimes she could swear that he did things like this just to see her blush; because he alone knew just how much of her body actually blushed.

Lost in a daydream of Edward and herself wrapped up in a blanket, she failed to see the devil gleam come to his emerald green eyes. She began to come around when the people around her began to stand and caps were thrown in the air. Bella felt like she was punched in her stomach. This was it; no more high school.

No more having to sneak out or sneak back into the house. No more baseball games cheering for Edward and the guys to win, no more watching the clock for 3 pm so you can go out to the parking lot and make out with your boyfriend before having to go home and do your homework so you could leave the house again to see the same boyfriend and make out some more over cheese fries down at Toni's Place.

Looking up with unshed tears in her eyes searching to find Edward's eyes to somehow get some comfort, she met his eyes straight on; green colliding with brown. Edward left the stage to come and hold her right there in the middle of everyone. He hugged her close lifting her a bit off the ground and smiled gently as he said the words that she would late wonder about , "Don't worry, Bella, it's over and we're finally free." as he kissed her lightly freckled nose, "Come on, baby, I'll get you a corn dog and a double dip chocolate cone." he placed his arm around her waist and led her through the crowd towards his truck when a voice behind them stopped the their tracks.

"Bella, are you ok?" Maggie Webster, Bella's best friend asked. The worried look in her hazel eyes made Bella feel guilty for crying.

"Yeah, she's fine." Edward grinned looking at Maggie, the devil-smile back in place, "She just wanted to sucker me into a double dip cone so bad that she made herself cry." he teased and then lightly kissed Bella's lips. Maggie groaned and laughed but she looked hard at Bella to try and read for herself if Bella was really ok before she ran off into the waiting arts of her linebacker boyfriend, Felix.

**Later that evening...**

Bella rolled over in the soft confines of her bed. The last party had been over hours ago and Edward had left for the night not long after dropping Bella off at her house. Her graduation party had been the best in her head. She had absolutely loved the laptop computer her father had bought her, but Charlie Swan had just blushed and brushed off his eldest child's thanks saying simply, "You'll need it at that fancy school you got into and when you get into law school you'll need it even more." Charlie was still slightly bemused that his daughter was going to be a lawyer. He was the town's Chief of Police and his wife was a first grade teacher at Forks Elementary school. Renee Swan, on the other hand, as a teacher and loving wife and mother thought that Bella's law dreams were perfectly normal seeing nothing at all funny with a cop's daughter being a high powered lady lawyer.

Bella had picked out law after watching Edward's father many summers in a row in the court room. She felt a rush at the whole process. Carlisle Cullen, Edward's dad had encouraged his son's girlfriend, even helped her to get into his old college along with his dream to get his son to see the light and a be a lawyer like himself. Edward had never wanted to go into law though; his dream was to write songs and sing. He was going to be a country legend. Not something every kid from Forks, WA dreams about. But then again, Edward was unique and that's what Bella found so appealing and so did the rest of the town. His charm and charisma drew everyone in and kept them interested in him and his life for years.

Edward even started writing a song for her which he called "Bella's Heart". It was a youthful corny song but it was all hers. Bella began slipping into a deeper sleep as the day's events started to worn her out completely. She had fallen asleep long ago, but the deep sleep just began to hit. It was when she began dreaming of Edward, when she felt a warm breath fanning her cheek and heard a soft voice whisper her name.

"Bella, wake up," a soft demand came from behind her and she rolled over, feeling no danger; she looked up into the eyes that were more familiar to her than her own.

"Edward," she said in a sleepy whisper, "How did you get in my bedroom?" her brown eyes trying to focus slightly through the dark, she saw that he was wearing jeans and a Mariners jersey.

"I climbed the tree. Bella, hurry up we need to talk. Let's get out of here and go to the cabins, so I don't have to worry about your dad shooting me with his shot gun tonight." Edward told her in a cheeky whisper. His green eyes full of emotions that she couldn't seem to comprehend, though she figured that the finality that had hit her earlier that day at graduation had finally hit him and he wanted to talk about it.

"Let me get changed and we can go." she said softly and stood up to put on a pair of denim shorts and a soft pink t-shirt. Grabbing a sweater she led him down the stairs and out the front door. They said no more as they sat in Edward's two year old Volvo and headed towards the cabins. It was only a four-minute drive, but it felt more like an hour in the silence of the cab of his car.

The cabins were an old run down vacation resort that Edward's grandparents had, but were shut down in the early 70's. With the hippy generation that was moving around, they'd found it better to close up than rent out to free love and drug people. Edward and Bella had stumbled upon the cabins when they were twelve years old; and since the land belonged to Edward's family, they made it their own play ground. No one really knew about it but them and only a closed group of friends. And they preferred it that way.

At twelve they had cleaned up the cabin that had been in the best shape, bringing in furniture from the other cabins that ware in good shape still. They took paint from the basement of Bella's house that was used to paint her dad's work shop. There was plenty left for the living room of the cabin, while the other rooms were painted in various other shades that were found in their parents' houses over the years. Blankets had been brought in. And as they got older, the decor had improved with summer job money; adding to their décor different things. This was the place that Bella and Edward had shared their first real kiss at thirteen. At fifteen they had learnt how to share bodies and at seventeen had danced on prom night long after everyone else had gone home and to bed. This is where they had dreamed all their dreams and planned their future together. This is where the best and worst conversations between them had taken place and where they had dreamed of building a home one day to raise their own children. It was their secret hideaway, but more than that; it was their past, present and future memories all rolled into one.

Outside 'their' cabin, Edward held her hand and pulled her close, "Come on, kitten, it's too cold to talk out here. Let's go inside." He pulled her to his side and they walked through the door and sat on the old sofa with the patchwork quilt in the living room area of the house. Edward held her close and leaned his head towards hers then looked her straight in the eyes, "Bella, he finally pulled the last straw tonight. He told me that it was either his old college or any college to become a lawyer or something at least or I was out. That he wasn't going to let me waste my life away on dreams under his roof; that as long as I was there, I was going to live by his rules and grow up." Edward looked so sad as he stared at her pale face and the soft pink pouting lips that stood out against her skin. Bella put her hand on his arm feeling the anger and anguish that filled him as she did so. Edward's dreams were his life, unlike her and his father's; he was a dreamer, where they were far more analytical.

Edward's mother Esme was a dreamer like Edward, but long ago she had fulfilled her dream by marrying a 'Cullen' and becoming the first lady of the town. Edward's younger brother and sister were a lot more like their father. His brother attending military school by choice and his sister in high honors advanced classes planning a life as a medical doctor. "Bella, I'm leaving town." she gasped and he put a finger to her lips, "My cousin has a place in Nashville, I'm going to stay there. I want you to come with me. Over the years, I've saved and I cashed in my savings bonds. I have a little over fifteen grand. We can find our own place pretty quick and if we both work we can live there with no problem. You can go to school there if you can get one scholarship. Surely you could get another or loans. Bella, we would be free like we planned and I can get into the business quicker than I ever dreamed. I sent a demo tape into Mountain Records. You know the one that handles only the best of the best. Well, one of their artists named Alice Brandon; she loved it! And wants to cut it as a single," he smiled at her like she was going to agree to anything he said; as of he had already won. It was the cocky grin that made her feel like a doormat. Bella stood up and walked over to the window, looking out she turned slowly towards him.

"Edward Cullen, for eighteen years, you have asked me to jump; and I would jump only asking you how high. Now, when I am on the verge of getting something that I have _always_ dreamed of, you want me to simply say _'Oh, well I'll just get another scholarship because they grow on trees'!_ Edward maybe your father's right; you need to _grow_ up." She looked at him, the fire in her eyes matching the red highlights in her wavy brown hair, "I'm your girlfriend, Edward. _Not_ your sleeping bag; you don't simply roll me up and move me along whenever you're ready to go someplace else. You know you are the part of me that isn't really part of me but means the same to my body as if you were my heart. I feel like I'm dying sometimes when I've gone too long without seeing you. But, Edward, I have a family responsibilities that I can't just say screw it to in a space of five minutes and go pack my bags." she stomped her foot on the battered carpet and felt an angry bitter tear slip down her cheek. Edward stood up and rushed over pulling her into his arms. With all the passion of teenage love, he kissed her lips and looked at her closely.

"Kitten, I need you. I can't do this without you. You have to come with me, I don't think you are really angry at the idea of leaving so much as you are about my _assumption_ that you would just leave without thinking about it." he perceptively figured out on his own. He knew Bella. He knew her better than she knew herself. She was cautious to a fault; she never rushed and never did a thing without over analyzing it. When they had made love for the first time, she had told him it was the obvious next step in their relationship; so, they might as well. He had asked her to sleep with him; and in his wildest randy fantasies, he had never thought she would be that willing. He had a lot of pretty words and persuasive ideas in his head to seduce her. But his Bella had shocked him so much that he almost failed the 'deed' completely. Still they had both agreed that the second time had been much better than their fumbling first. Her brown eyes began to calm and he knew he was beginning to win.

"Oh, Edward!" she exclaimed her voice filled with horror of changing her plans and excitement at taking the forbidden risk.

Kissing her gently and walking her back to the sofa, he lowered her slowly. Kissing her trembling lips, "You always do this to me, Edward." she moaned against his firm lips, "Seduce me into doing your bidding. I know you're doing it, yet I always let you do it anyways..." She groaned and pulled away from him, "Time, Edward. I need some time." He held her from behind and kissed the back of her neck gently.

"Ok, it's 3 am by my watch; and I am leaving town at 8 tonight. Leaving by dark, so I can act like nothing is up. Mom and you are the only ones who know what is happening. Well, my cousin knows too. None of you would tell Dad though, he's likely to lock me away till fall; and then walk me to classes he personally picked out for me to attend." Edward gave a wary laugh, "Be here by 7 pm. Tell your parents we are going camping or something and we'll write them from Nashville. It'll be safer, then your Dad can't shoot me as quickly and your Mom can't use her emotional blackmail to make you stay." Edward looked at her face and saw her pull a small smile. They both had no illusions when it came to their respective parents. Bella's father was the old-fashioned over-protective type that believed that Bella should be married first and then she should still wait to have intercourse. While her Mom was the needy type; holding her daughters and students as close to her as she could needing to protect them from the evils of the world, "Come anyway, Bella, even if you aren't going on the trip, come to say goodbye. You know as well as I do that no matter what, we'll always be together. If you can't come now, I'll give you my cousin's address; and you can come later. I'll always wait for you Bella, you're mine and I'm yours." Edward told her pleading; his green eyes meeting deep brown in a silent battle of control and love.

Bella wrapped her arms around Edward's neck and kissed him. An hour or so later, wrapped in only the patchwork quilt, Edward looked down at the sleeping woman in his arms and smiled to himself. Who would have known when he was three years old and she stole his milk that one day he would willingly give her anything he had; including his heart, which probably had been hers since that day. He would never let her get away for long. Other girls in school had offered him their bodies but though he had been flattered and his teenage body was tempted, he had never touched another girl. Bella was all he ever needed; all he would ever need. One day she would bare his children and they would watch them play on a swing and laugh about the time he pushed her on the swing a bit too hard and she had skinned her knee. At nine years old, he had carried her two blocks home telling her the whole way not to cry as he felt like crying himself. His proud sweet Bella had been hurt and it was his fault. In the end, it was Bella calming his fears and assuring him that it was really nothing; that this hadn't been his fault.

His Bella was always doing that, making him feel better, even when she was hurting herself. One day he swore to himself that one day, he would give her everything she ever dreamed of; she would never wish for anything or _need_ anything again, because he would have already put it in her hands. Bella had saved him many times from himself, from his rebellious behavior and from his feud with his father. She had held him the night that his Grandfather had died and dried his tears and later when he had been embarrassed by his show of emotions she had pretended not to have noticed them to begin with and had never mentioned it again. They were going to make a life in Nashville together and someday when he had made it on his own without his family's money, he would buy this land and build Bella her dream house, here like they had always planned. But until then, he smiled. He and Bella would live on love.

Edward drove her home once again in silence, he was letting her think and she was still groggy from sleep. He got out at her house walking around to open her door and kiss her one last time before her whispered softly in her ear, "Always remember, I love you, Kitten." He left her grinning like an idiot outside her house. The sun was gently rising and her heart was beating like a drum in a rock song. She skipped up her front steps and put the key in her front door.

Bella opened the door and looked around at the pale yellow walls of her childhood home and faintly smiled. Could she really leave? She asked herself many questions including… Can I really change all my plans just because Edward's dreams are coming true? Can I leave my parents to run off to Nashville and probably work in a dinner somewhere until he made it big or she finished college?

"Is Edward worth all this? Do I love him enough? Does he love me enough that we can make this work?" she said out loud.

"BELLA!" she looked up to see her fifteen year old sister Rosalie running down the stairs to her. Tears filled Rosalie's eyes and her face was puffy you could tell immediately that something was very wrong.

"Rose, what's wrong?" Bella asked looking at the beautiful blond in front of her.

"Bella, you have to drive me to the hospital now!" Bella took in the ashen face of her sister and asked no more questions. She grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out the door down to her old beat up 92 two-door Chevy caviler and drove like the wind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thanks to the lovely TwiDi for cleaning up my mess :) Check out her story You Don't Know Anything *hint it's in my favs ;)* ! **

**Chapter 2**

Bella had a hard time trying to get out of Rose what was wrong. And as they parked the car outside of Forks General hospital, Bella was no closer to the truth. Her sister's tear-filled eyes and mumbling made it hard to stay calm.

Suddenly, Rose bolted from the car and Bella followed quickly. She watched as Rose went to the information desk and demanded, "Charlie Swan?" When Bella heard that, her whole world stopped.

"Daddy?" She whispered harshly.

"Bella." Renee Swan pulled her oldest child into a bear hug and rocked her softly.

"Mommy, what's wrong with Daddy?" The question came out of Bella's trembling lips like a young child's plea for reassurance.

"Sweetheart, Rosie baby girl, come over here too." Renee pulled her other daughter into her embrace, "Dad woke up to chest pains yesterday and being your _father_ the stubborn fool that he is, he _ignored_ them. Not even telling me about them."

"Oh my God, he did it so he wouldn't ruin my graduation!" Bella exclaimed horrified.

"Honey, do not blame yourself and don't worry. Daddy is going to be fine. He's had a heart attack and they are going to perform bi-pass surgery on him." She gave both girls a faint smile, "Remember when Gramps had the same surgery and he's still around five years later. I think Grams is still a bit worse for wear with all his new energy though. Grams keeps calling and complaining about Gramps wanting 'the pleasures' all the time. You know I think she likes it but she'd never admit it." The girls giggled a little.

Both of the girls remembered all too well how much Grams really enjoyed Gramps new energy. The previous summer they had gone to Jacksonville to visit for two weeks and one night it was so hot they couldn't sleep. They had decided to go outside and now they both claimed to be scarred for life after catching their grandparents enjoying each other naked in the pool. Neither girl could swim in their grandparents' pool since.

"Mom, can we see him?" Bella asked gently.

"Yeah, Mom, we really want to see him." Rose reiterated.

"Come on, girls, let's go bug your father." The girls followed their mother towards the cubical holding their father.

"Daddy." The girls whispered in unison.

"Rosie, Bella, come here." Charlie hoarsely beckoned his girls. Each girl took a side and a hand, "Bella, when you were born it was the happiest day of my life. Then Rose you came along and I knew that no one having children could only have one perfect day. I watched you both grow up and I've never once wanted a son, because I had two perfect girls." He gave them both a weak smile, "I know I'm going to be fine, but in case something happens…"

"Dad, you are going to be fine." Rose told him fiercely. He nodded and continued.

"In case something happens, I love you all. Renee, my darling wife, even when I messed up you still loved me. I'll love you for eternity. Rosie my baby girl, the boys don't know whether to love you for your astounding beauty or your amazing ability with mechanics. I love you for all of that, but more so, for your beautiful soul. Bella, my shy little girl who's bloomed into a beautiful woman, unlike your sister you were always practical and patient. An adult before you even reached five. My oldest daughter my sweet child, follow your heart and promise me that once in your life, you'll live for the moment." He smiled, "Remember when you were five years old and, Rose, you were around two. Bella looked at that poor Edward and told him she refused to marry him until she finished high school and she was only having two babies."

"Oh, I remember that he just nodded and said ok." Renee laughed.

"That poor boy you run his life at times. He probably only finished high school because it was part of your plans." He grinned at his daughter's now red face, "Rose, someday you'll find your own 'Edward Cullen'."

"Don't you think it would get confusing if Bella and I both marry guys named _Edward_ _Cullen_?"

Charlie gave her a mock glare, "Someday, young lady, some brave man is going to steal your heart and maybe tame your wicked tongue." Rose stuck out her tongue at her father.

A noise alerted them to someone else being in the room and they all looked up to find the doctor standing there.

"Mr. Swan, I'm Dr. Gerber. Is this your family?" The doctor continued after introductions were made, "We want you to have the surgery today. You told the nurse you've had nothing to eat or drink since midnight and we on purpose have not given you anything either. Now, I'm going to explain the procedure then we're going to get you prepped."

After the doctor explained the surgery to them, though honestly Bella understood very little of the technical terms they all hugged and whispered their love to one another. The women then went to the waiting room and sat down.

"Mom, when did you last eat?" Bella looked at the pale face of her mother and took charge. She made all of them go get a sandwich and some soup from the cafeteria.

*********

Hours later, a nurse smiled and asked how they were holding up. They all smiled and nodded at the friendly nurse while holding back their internal question of, "How the fuck do you think we are holding up?"

Bella looked at the clock and sighed. The surgery should have been done by four pm and yet it was half past four and they still had heard nothing. They were all trying to keep busy, trying to keep their minds off Charlie laying there on that table with his chest cracked open. Rose suddenly stood up and walked over to the water fountain. And from the look on Renee's face, you could tell she was fighting the urge to start smoking again.

At five the doctor came out and Bella's heart began to race, "Mrs. Swan, I'm sorry we did all we could do. We were too late and his heart was not up to the surgery. He had another attack while on the table; this one was far more severe than the previous one. We tried to revive him. We tried everything, but nothing worked and he's gone. I'm so sorry."

Renee began to sob uncontrollably. The girls each took a side and held on to their Mom. Both trying to calm her through their own tears. The next few hours were a blur of tears, paperwork and the drive back home.

Bella walked inside and even though it was still summer out and a warm day she felt cold. Like ice was inside of her skin running through her veins. She quickly ran up the stairs to take a shower. She turned the water on as hot as her body could stand and crawled in. The water flowed over her body as she cried like she had never cried before. Her whole world had been torn in two. Daddy dying and Edward was leaving town.

"Holy shit! Edward!" Bella jumped out of the shower grabbing her towel and running into her bedroom. The alarm clock blinked 7:15 at her, "What the hell am I going to do?" Bella groaned grabbing a pair of jeans and a shirt from her closet. She pulled her still damp hair up into a ponytail and looked into the mirror, "Tell me what to do, Daddy." She whispered to her reflection. Running down the stairs she found her Mom sitting at the kitchen table.

"Bella, are you ok?" Renee asked her wild-eyed daughter.

"Mom, I've got to go tell Edward. I'll be back soon I promise." Bella said more to herself than to her Mom.

"Go, sweetheart." Renee whispered as she kissed her oldest child on the cheek.

Bella ran down past Johnson's Corner store cut through the woods and found the cabin. Edward's truck wasn't there, so Bella figured he was late as usual and sat on the steps to wait. She had a plan. She would tell Edward about her father and then beg him to wait two weeks then she would go with him.

Bella sat her grief mixed with excitement at the life she and Edward would have together. Then she felt guilty for being excited about anything when her father had just passed away, "Oh, Daddy, why now?" She cried out and rushed inside. She sat herself on the old sofa as she cried harder.

Memories of the past flew through her head. Her dad teaching her how to ride a bike… Their Saturday afternoon lunch "dates". Ever since Bella had turned six, Charlie made it a habit to take her out every Saturday for lunch alone. They drove to Port Angeles and ate at her Uncle Billy's restaurant. On Sunday afternoons, he used to take Rose. It was his way of having quality time with each girl.

Bella closed her eyes tight as another tear fell slowly down her cheek. Last Saturday, Charlie had given her a strand of pearls for graduation at lunch. He told her that he had been proud of her since the day she was born. Even when she had moments of failure, they were still success in his eyes because she tried, "Bella, as long as you'd tried." He would always say and it always made her feel better. His belief in her made her continue to try even harder. But who was going to believe in her like that now? Who was she going to sneak cookies at two am with? Or watch crappy movies no one else enjoyed for laughs with in the middle of the night? Who was going to love her the way Daddy had? Bella laid down on the sofa keeping her eyes closed tight trying to block out the memories, trying to stop the tears. At some point, exhaustion took over and put her into a dreamless sleep.

The sun pouring through the windows the next morning hit Bella in the face; dragging her out of her oblivious state into the world of cold harsh reality. Daddy was dead and Edward hadn't come for her. She looked at her watch which read seven am and shook her head. In less than three hours, she was needed at the funeral home to make arrangements. She stood and felt something brush her legs. Slowly, she bent to pick up the paper from the ground. Through tear strained eyes that felt half-closed, she saw Edward's distinctive script.

_Kitten,_

_I don't know why you never came, but when you do, I know you'll read these words. You are my heart, you always will be. Though your absence made me realize that maybe for once in our lives, what we want is not the same thing._

_When you're ready, I'll be waiting for you at Westin Apartments number 12 in Nashville. That's my cousin's address. Bella, just come please, love._

_Forever,_

_Edward_

Bella slowly lowered herself to the sofa again. Edward was gone. He had left her here in the midst of the worst pain of her life, leaving her feeling lonelier than she'd ever been before.

"Bella?" Bella stood up at the sound of her name coming in the distance.

"Yes?" She responded.

"Come on hun, let us drive you home." Bella looked up at Maggie and Felix standing there and she ran into her best friend's arms, "Oh, Bella." Maggie whispered into her hair.

"They're gone, Maggie. Daddy and Edward left me all in one day." Bella whispered.

"Bella, you need to come now. Renee needs you. We'll go after Edward so you can talk when things calm down here." Felix told Bella. Edward and Felix were best friends and at that moment, he never wanted to hurt someone as much as he wanted to hurt Edward. Edward whose cell phone was suddenly out of service when he was needed the most.

*********

**Two Days Later**

Two hundred people had filled the church as Pastor Webber performed the service. Charlie's casket gleamed black and Bella could barely pull her eyes away from it. It was as dark as her heart felt. It was a symbol of all she had lost.

The walk to the cemetery was the longest walk of her life. And when it was all over and the mourners disbanded, Bella hid and watched them lower her father's body into the ground, "Goodbye, Daddy." She whispered, her voice was so soft, but it was heavy with emotions. So much so that it brought a tear to the eye of the man standing behind her.

"Stay strong, sweetheart." Bella's paternal grandfather, 'Gramps', affectionately hugged her to him, wiped the tears from her eyes and then his own, "Let's go finish today up at home. There are people there wanting to show you how sorry they are that your Dad is gone." Gramps and Bella walked towards the gates of the cemetery arm in arm. In their hearts, they were both falling apart but they put a small smile on their lips to help everyone else.

**********

**Two Months Later**

Bella sat in the back seat of Felix's car, her bags beside her and in the trunk. She sighed and looked out the window of the car. Edward was only minutes away. Two months and three days since the last time she had held him, or heard his voice.

His father had cut off his cell phone service and the one time he called home according to his sister Elizabeth, he and Carlisle had fought; and Edward never got to hear about Charlie. No one had heard from him since. Bella couldn't wait to see him. Hold him. Tell him everything. The closer they got to where he was living the more the hole in her heart healed.

"There's the sign!" Maggie exclaimed from the passenger seat, "Bella, breathe! You're turning blue!" She joked and Bella breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the sign saying Westin Apartments.

"Hush, Mags, the girl is nervous enough as it is." Felix chastised his bubbly girlfriend.

"There is Edward's car!" Bella exclaimed upon seeing the Volvo. Felix pulled in beside it, Bella took a deep breath and got out of the car. The three friends went up the stairs and found number twelve. Bella knocked on the door and stood back.

"Yeah?" A man around twenty-nine opened the door and questioned them.

"Is Edward Cullen here?" Bella asked, her brown eyes silently pleading for Edward to be there.

"Yeah, hold on." The guy turned around and bellowed, "Hey, Edward, get your ass out here you've got company."

"Coming." Bella's knees went weak at the sound of Edward's voice. A door opening could be heard in the background and Bella saw Edward walk out. He turned towards them and his green eyes adjusted and he looked like he saw a ghost. His face went so pale, "Bella?" he whispered and she launched herself into his arms and he held her tight to his half naked body. Wearing no shirt and only a pair of tight jeans. He felt so masculine, so alive and so fucking good.

"Oh, Edward." She whispered, tears running down her face.

"Kitten." He held her tighter.

"Edward?" A soft southern accented voice whispered from the door way Edward had just emerged from. Wearing a man's shirt her hair fell in long black cloud down her back. Her eyes, the bluest Bella had ever seen. Her red pouting lips were the icing on the cake. She was so beautiful. One of the most beautiful women Bella had ever seen. And she was standing there in Edward's dress shirt that Bella had helped him buy for his Mom's garden party five months ago.

"It's fucking Snow White." Felix said in awe and Maggie gasped. Bella stepped back away from Edward.

"Ali, this is Bella." He said hoarsely.

"Bella… as in from home?" The 'Ali' person asked, her eyes becoming ice cubes.

"Yes, Bella from his home town." Bella said out loud. A feeling she hadn't felt since she watched her father's casket being lowered filled her. Bella pulled herself completely away from Edward and walked past Ali and looked in the room they both had come out of. A rumpled bed, an open box of condoms and clothing all over the place told the story. Bella walked back by Edward who went to grab her, but she pulled away.

"Kitten." He whispered.

"Happy birthday, Edward." She said even though it was long past his birthday, "Nineteen and all the rest of them, because I'll never be with you on a birthday again. So, here is my gift to you. I won't cry over you because I've cried too much for the past two months over my Dad dying. At least, he didn't want to leave me." Bella walked to the door then turned around, "Forever… wow, I didn't realize it had a two month expiration date. Ali, is that what he called you? Well, whatever. I hope you enjoy the next bit of time with Edward, because you're obviously on the wrong side of twenty five. So, when he trades you in for a younger model, I hope you feel at least half of what I'm feeling right now." She walked out the door and down the stairs and as Felix and Maggie got in the car, she saw Edward running to the curb.

"Bella, what can I say?" He begged into the driver's side window. He saw her bags and turned whiter in the face somehow, "Oh, damn, Kitten. Don't go! Let me fix this!"

"How can you fix this, Edward, when I wouldn't trust you to change a tire for me right now? Let alone trust you with my heart? Felix, just go!" She pleaded and thankfully he listened. Edward stood behind the departing car and screamed her name, but she didn't look back.

"Bella, no one needs to know what happened here. That bastard doesn't deserve the town knowing he played you. We will tell them that you changed your mind." Maggie told her; and she weakly smiled.

"Maggie, Felix, oh hell, what am I going to do?" She questioned; a deep hidden fear in her voice.

"Bella?" Felix pulled into a close by gas station, then looked back and took in her ashen face. He factored in other things from the past few months, "Hell, Bells, when?"

"Felix, I think graduation night." Bella said as Maggie looked between the two of them and enlightenment hit her face.

"Oh my God, please, you can't be!" Maggie screamed.

"Mags, babe, bring down the pitch some." Felix said gently, "Are you going to tell him?" He asked her softly sounding the most serious as she had ever heard, "It's your decision, Bella. And we'll respect it." Grave looking blue eyes bore into hers.

"No, Felix I'm not. I know Edward. He'll use the baby to get me back. I'll leave him to play house with his friend Ali because apparently what he wants to do is play." Bella pulled her jacket off. While it had begun to cool off in Forks, it was warm in Nashville, "Now, I'm an adult and now I'm a mother. You, guys, this baby is the only thing that matters now. I'm going to do right by my baby; and that means no Edward Cullen and his false promises of 'forever that half a shelf life of two months'." Crossing her arms over her chest she stared ahead, a look that clearly said 'Edward Cullen was as dead to her as her Father'.

"Well, Bella. It sounds to me as if we are leaving Forks and finding our way together. You, sure as hell can't go back to have a baby. His family would be all over you. And as your best friend, you're not going alone." Maggie looked at Felix who grunted his agreement.

"I guess." Bella told them looking out the window. She felt her heart slam into her chest as she looked up. Ali's picture was on a large billboard promoting her latest album, "He's sleeping with Alice Brandon." She said in a shocked voice. "Damn him!" She turned from the window, "Drive, Felix, get me out of this town! I need to be far away from anyone with the last name _Cullen_."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thanks to the lovely TwiDi for cleaning up my mess :) Check out her story You Don't Know Anything *hint it's in my favs ;)* ! **

**Chapter 3**

**Six Years Later…**

"Mommy, Mommy, it's snowing!" Bella groaned under the covers trying to come back to the present. The night before, she had been haunted by memories of the past; of Edward.

"Emma, it snows in Forks a lot." Bella told her five year old daughter as she cuddled down into the blankets with her.

"Mommy, are we going back home soon?" Emma asked into her Mom's shoulder.

"Baby, you know that we are here to help Nana out. And Mommy has a new job starting soon." Gently Bella rubbed the bronze hair nestled into her shoulder.

"What about my friends and Aunt Maggie?" Emma insisted.

"Sweetie, you know you'll make new friends and Aunt Maggie will come see you soon." Bella smiled when she thought of her best friend since childhood. The friend who had lived with them for the first two years, through the toughest times and never complained. Together they had raised young Emma Rose Swan. Maggie had held her through the darkest months of her life.

"Mommy!" Emma jerked her Mom back from her thoughts, "Uncle Felix said he's gonna come see us too!" Bella's now excited child bounced up and started doing a happy dance on the bed where milliseconds before she had been laying sad because she missed her old friends.

"Yes, baby, he's coming here next weekend from Port Angeles." Bella tickled the child who giggled loudly, "Which means, young lady…" Bella said to her daughter in a mockingly stern voice, "That, _you_, must behave and no telling stories that you heard Uncle Felix tell when around Nana."

"Yes, Mama, no telling dirty stories I wasn't supposed to hear." Emma giggled and ran out of the room chanting, "No dirty stories."

Bella stood up and walked to the closet pulling out a forest green pull over sweater and a pair of dark washed jeans. Padding to the bathroom down the hall, she pulled a towel down from the linen closet before going to shower.

It was weird showering in this bathroom for the first time in six years. Tears began to pool in her eyes as she remembered her Dad putting the shower in the old bathroom when she was eight.

That was the year the Swan family had moved out of their rented apartment into the old Victorian style home that was in need of repairs. Charlie had completely renovated all the plumbing and most of the other rooms in the house on his own. Well, he did at times have the help of a few small helping hands. Rose had been five and Bella eight. They spent all their time that summer helping their Dad. Maggie, Skip and Edward had spent a good portion of that summer helping as well.

Bella rarely allowed herself to think about Edward anymore. It was something that still hurt like an open wound. The biological father of her daughter, who was now one of the top selling country singers in the world, Edward had a string of hit songs and girlfriends. His most notable was Alice Brandon. They had lived together on and off for the past six years. It still hurt Bella to say either name. It also had been hard to explain to friends and her now ex-boyfriend why they couldn't play music by either artist around her. When James, her ex, had found out Emma's paternity, he had been less than happy with Bella for not telling Edward anything about Emma. He had tried to get her to contact Edward to let him know. James had even told her that if it had been his child, he'd want to know. He, also, pointed out the amount of child support she could get from Edward.

James was another mistake she didn't want to think about at the moment. It took years before she would date and when she did it was an utter disaster. Though she knew why she picked James to date. The light blond hair and brown eyes were nothing like her bronze-haired green-eyed lover.

James was a stable accountant in his mid thirties; and believed in planning everything before he did it. He wasn't a dreamer. He was always punctual. He was attractive, but not drop-dead gorgeous. Most of all, he was so different. He wasn't a threat to her fragile system that even now was still reeling from the ultimate betrayal Edward had bestowed upon her.

Maggie and Felix both tried to warn her that something was off about James. Bella should have listened.

Maggie and Felix… not two names that you'd put together very often anymore. Four years ago, after finishing college, they also finished with one another. They'd realized that while they loved each other, they were not _in_ love with each other. Felix had moved home to work with his Dad in Port Angeles and met a lovely girl named Heidi. They married less than a year later and now had a six month old son.

Maggie on the other hand, took over Bella's dream and went to law school. She was now in her last year. Unlike Felix, Maggie dated around instead of settling down. Bella knew that Felix's quick marriage to Heidi had rubbed Maggie the wrong way.

As for Bella, she majored in Early Childhood Education and had been subbing and working part time on her masters until she could find a full time job. That's why she was here now. The school where her Mom worked, helped her get a temp license in Washington State; and she was taking over Renee's class, since Renee was out with a broken leg.

"Bella, leave some hot water for the rest of us." Rose yelled through the door.

"Shut up, kid. I'm working on loosing these old lady bones of mine." Bella chuckled and got out of the shower. Quickly, she dressed and opened the door, her thick hair wrapped up in a towel.

"Old, my ass, sis! You're still under twenty-five." Rose grinned and hugged Bella, "Oh, Bella, I'm so glad you are home. These past six years, not seeing you, not knowing my niece… they've been hard for me and even harder on Mom." A sad smile crossed Rose's face. Bella could tell Rose was thinking about their Mom's injury.

"It's just a broken leg, Rose. I'm here now to take over her class. You can just go about your day," Bella gave her sister a wicked grin, "What is it you do again?"

"I'm Carlisle Cullen's paralegal." Rose waited to see her sister's reaction to this piece of news.

"You're working for Carlisle?!" Bella yelled, "What happened to that receptionist job in Port Angeles?"

"I left it last year to cut down on my commute every day. I just didn't tell you." Rose backed away from her angry older sister.

"Rosalie Lillian Swan! What in God's name possessed you to work for him of all people?" Bella demanded. Suddenly her face paled and knees buckled. Quietly, she slipped down the wall on to the floor, "Oh no, you didn't tell him about Emma?"

"No, I told him the same story everyone else heard. After you caught Edward with Alice Brandon, you went on a man hunt for revenge and got yourself in the family way." Rose helped her sister back up.

"Thank you for that at least." In desperation, Maggie and Bella had concocted the story about Bella's man hunt. Very few people knew the truth.

Walking into the kitchen, the warmth radiating from the oven, backing a pumpkin pie for the annual fall festival, invaded her nose. She looked at her mother in her chair, crutches leaning against the kitchen island. For the first time in years, Bella felt him, "Mom, are you baking or is Rose?"

"Darling child, _she_ is, of course. We want the ribbon. We do not want to give the judges food poisoning." Renee laughed as her oldest child walked over and gave her a hug.

"Mommy, Mommy!" Emma came running from the living room and wrapped her arms around Bella's legs, looking shyly at her grandmother, "Nana says we are going to a big party tonight." The little kid smiled with one missing front tooth and looked up at her mother.

"Yes, baby, we are." She picked up the little girl hugging her. Walking over, she picked up the now ringing phone, "Swan residence?"

"Come home, Bella." James spoke into the phone on the other end, "We'll fix it." His voice was barely understandable. It sounded like he was already drinking.

"No. And please, leave us _alone_." She sighed and put Emma on the floor, "We can't do this anymore. I don't love you and I don't belong in Jacksonville. You obviously never loved me either, or you would have respected my wishes when I said I needed time. Instead, you threw me into a wall." She told her ex boyfriend.

"You'll pay for letting me down, bitch. You never did get over that singing pretty boy. But why does he have your heart, when I have been the one who has his daughter's affections. Kind of ironic, isn't it? He has every woman in the world he wants, except his own daughter." A bitter laugh followed, then a click.

Bella sighed again and hung up the phone. James was all talk and no substance. Emma never even liked him. Sometimes Bella wondered why the relationship lasted as long as it did.

"Emma, go ask Aunt Rose to put your snow boots on, we have to go clothes shopping. It's almost November and when it gets cold here, girl, it's so cold that your toes can freeze if not properly attired." Bella's daughter ran off to find her aunt, "Mom, don't let James talk to her, ok?" At her mother's nod, she ran and hugged her. Then went to find her child.

"Bella." Rose came out of her niece's bedroom with a child dressed up under layers of clothing, "Your child, I believe, is wearing every piece of clothing that she owns." Rose grinned.

"Oh, Emma, let's get some of these things off you, baby, you are going to roast." Bella tried to hold back her laughter.

"Don't wanna freeze." Emma mumbled threw all her layers of clothes.

"You won't. Come on, Mommy will dress you nice and warm. Then we'll go shopping." Bella grabbed her daughter's hand and walked her back into the room.

"Mommy, can we play in the snow later?" Emma pleaded.

"Yes, sweetheart. It's the first snow of the season; everyone wants to play in it." Bella smiled, "We used to have snowball wars and make angels and snowmen. Tonight at the festival, we'll have hot cider and hot coco. You'll be happy here, hun. I always loved it here."

"If you loved it, Mommy, why leave?" the child asked the one question she couldn't know the answer to.

"To have you." Bella said simply.

*******

Bella and Emma walked into Apple Dumpling Corner, a kids clothing store that was new to Forks. From what Bella could tell, it had adorable clothing and some cute toys thrown in to boot.

"Mommy, can I get that blue sweater over there?" Emma asked heading for the sweater in question.

"If there is one that fits you..." Bella told her.

As the pair shopped, Bella felt several people glance and some stare. They all wanted to say something, she was sure, but what… she didn't know. Looking at Emma, she knew there was no hiding her paternity. She was all Edward. The secret was out of the bag now; and it was too late to run and hide. Especially, when she hit the register to check out and almost passed out. Elizabeth Cullen was running the register, Carlisle Cullen's daughter the little rich girl, was a cashier?

"Isabella Swan?" The shocked upper class tones asked, looking at her and not noticing the small child.

"Hi Elizabeth," Bella said calmly, hoping Lizzie wasn't going to create a scene.

"When did you get into town?" She asked flipping the closed sign up on the door.

"Last night, Mom got hurt and I'm taking over her class. How are your parents?"

"Fine, you should go and see them. They'd love to see you. What the hell, Bella, they'd kill to see you. You were like a daughter to them; and they think because their son screwed up royally, that you hate them too." Elizabeth blurted out in a rush.

"I don't hate them. I don't even hate Edward," cringe, "anymore. My daughter," Bella pointed to Emma, who was playing with a stuffed bear on display for Halloween, "Loving her gave me a new look on life." Lizzie did a double take and then looked up at Bella. Her face was filled with questions.

"Are the rumors true that she's not Edward's?" You could tell that she didn't believe the rumors.

"She's mine, Lizzie." Bella said in all honesty. Edward had just donated the sperm.

"She looks _so_ much like him." Elizabeth sighed thinking out loud, "Though she does look a lot like you." The phone rang and Lizzie answered it, "Hello, Apple… Oh, hey, what's up?" she paused, "Talking to Bella Swan at the moment." Another long pause and a weird look crossed her face, "Ok, if that is what you want. Bye, love you too." She then looked up at Bella, "Sorry. That was my brother ah…. Jasper." She stumbled over the words.

"Lizzie, I really need to go, if you don't mind ringing this up, I'm meeting Rose at Toni's for lunch in like ten minutes." Bella said, looking at her watch, "And my sister gets mean when people are late."

"Sure, no problem." She smiled, "So, how do you like my little store by the way?"

"Yours?" Bella asked back shocked.

"Yep, all mine." She laughed ringing up and told Bella the total.

"I love it. It's way better than some of the places in the city." Bella told her honestly, signing the credit card receipt.

"Bella, thanks and let her keep the bear. She should have been my niece; and since I will always wish my brother hadn't screwed up and cost me that, let me give her this one gift." Lizzie hugged Bella tight.

"Emma Rose Swan." Bella whispered into the other girl's ear.

"Emma Rose, such a pretty name for my niece." She whispered, "Are you coming to the festival tonight?"

"Wouldn't miss it. I'm wondering what it's going to look like after all these years." Bella told the other girl.

"It's about the same. New couples and old couples, all hiding in the craptastic tunnel of love to make out some. Old man Newton running his mouth and drinking a bit too much." Elizabeth laughed, "Last year, Daddy threatened to ban him; and Mom just laughed like you wouldn't believe. Dad still believes that because his family was one of the founders of this town, that he runs it." They shared a laugh at that and said goodbye. And Bella and Emma left the store.

Bella loaded up all her purchases into her Voyager, locking it back up, before taking Emma's hand to walk down the block to Toni's. Bella's heart skipped a beat as she walked through the door. The corner booth, where she and Edward always sat at together, was roped off by one of those red velvet ropes. It was immortalized with framed photos of Edward hanging above it; and permanently reserved sign for Edward.

"Bella, over here." Rose called getting her attention. She was sitting on the other side of the diner. As Bella walked towards her sister, she heard the gasps and felt the glares.

"Hey, Auntie Rosie." Emma called to her aunt climbing into the booth with her.

"Hey, sweet cheeks. Did you get some nice new clothing?" Rose asked her but looked at Bella giving her an encouraging smile as she listened to Emma ramble on about the store.

"And the bear too." She finished before going back to self-entertaining. She was great at keeping herself busy in her own little world.

"Bella, after six years they're shocked to see you. And the new folks are looking for the first time at half of the local legend. Don't take it to heart." Rose grinned over her sister's shoulder at the approaching woman, "Hey, Nadine, what's up?"

"The usual, son skipping school, husband skipping out on me and the same damned job that keeps me on my feet." The thirty-something waitress complained in a rhyme.

"Hey, Bella girl, you finally came home?" she paused at the Bella's nod, "Can't say I blamed you for leaving. I always swore I was going to, then I got knocked up." The waitress realized what she said and blushed.

"Nadine, some of us left _because_ we got knocked up." Bella smiled knowing Nadine meant no harm. She just had little-to-no filter.

"Yeah. And you grew up into one hot Momma. Jeesh, I wish I looked better with age." She giggled and took the girls' orders.

As they ate, Bella and Rose caught up on their lives and talked about the future as Emma played with her Barbie and the stuffed bear at the table. People came and some left the diner during the hour the sisters sat, laughed and cried then laughed again. The whole time they avoided the topic of Edward Cullen and Emma's paternity. Though, Rose had a lot of questions for her sister about what had actually happened that day. And why it took Bella a little over six years to come home, she held her tongue for the moment.

As they got ready to leave, Rose looked up as a strange man, with the bluest eyes she'd ever seen, walked through the door.

"Rose?" Bella looked at her sister who was staring a hole through the handsome man in the door way.

"Huh, oh sorry, I zoned out for a moment." She grinned sheepishly at Bella, "He's just plain hot." And they both giggled.

Both girls watched as he walked up to Nadine and talked to her. Then suddenly, both the man and Nadine looked at Bella pointedly, "Oh, crap! Rose, get Emma out of here. He might be a reporter." Bella told her sister as they quickly re-bundled the child.

"Isabella Swan, I'm Emmett McCarty. Edward Cullen's personal manager." He held out a hand towards Bella who automatically took it out of habit, "We are putting together a montage piece about where Edward comes from; and who his friends were... The nice waitress informs me you were the high school sweetheart; and we'd love to have you in the piece." The blue-eyed man spoke like it was a foregone conclusion that Bella would agree.

"I'm sorry, Mr. McCarty, but I must refuse. If you don't know why, I suggest asking Edward." Bella grabbed her daughter's hand and walked out the door.

"Mr. McCarty," Rose drew his attention to herself, "You are lucky that my sister declined. Or you would have her on tape saying Edward Cullen can go to hell. Edward Cullen is a no good lying cheater, who lost the best thing in his life when he lost Bella." Rose bit out.

"Bella? Isabella Swan is Bella! As in… '_Bella's Heart'_, Bella?" The man looked stunned, "By God, woman, do you realize that once that single is released, your sister will be national news!" Emmett ran out the door putting his cell phone to his ear and screaming something about stall and no go.

Rose sagged against the table and sighed. She had to warn Bella, but she was going to wait till after the festival. Bella deserved some fun and Emma did as well. Knowing Bella, with this news, she'll move away again and change her name. Damn you, Edward Cullen.

Emmett McCarty sat in the back of the limo. Edward Cullen sat next to him wearing dark jeans and an open neck dark blue silk shirt that was un-tucked with the top three buttons undone. He looked like the sexy bad boy his public believed him to be.

"Well?" Edward demanded his manager and his best friend.

"Bait set, hooked and reeling it in." Emmett replied, "Now, tell me more about the sexy blond sister." Emmett couldn't seem to get the vivacious curvy, utterly gorgeous blond out of his head.

"She's a kid, Em. And one who eats guys like you for lunch without a second thought to the caloric intake." Slipping his sunglasses back into place, Edward signaled the driver to go.

Leaning back, Edward Cullen smiled to himself. Who says you can't go home again? It was time to set a few things straight, get his revenge and get what was rightfully his. If the crazy drunk guy who stormed into his radio interview in Miami was right, then his sweet Bella was actually a manipulative bitch, who kept his daughter from him for years. For that, _she will pay_.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thanks to the lovely TwiDi for cleaning up my mess :) Check out her story You Don't Know Anything *hint it's in my favs ;). **

**Chapter 4**

The festival was in full swing, thankfully the light dusting of snow had melted and it was forty-two degrees outside now. Which made the festival that much more enjoyable. The town's people almost looked like a living piece of Norman Rockwell's 'Saturday Evening Post'. Families from all over the area had come to celebrate. People that Bella hadn't seen in six years or more wished her well; and guys she knew, all claimed dances for the after barn dance. The barn dance that was actually held in the high school gym and no one under eighteen was allowed to attend. Bella was a little excited, since she'd never been to the dance before and she had always wanted to go.

When it was time for the dance, Emma went back to the house with Renee and Bella's Aunt Jean, Renee's sister, while Bella and Rose went on to the dance. The gym was filled with Halloween and fall decorations that lined the walls; and smiling faces were filling the dance floor. People walked around saying 'hi' and catching up with their neighbors. Almost everyone knew everyone and it made it seem that much more welcoming and warm-hearted. The few new comers were introduced around and more than a few of them looked at Bella longer than what was polite. However, that didn't get her spirits down.

The dance floor was getting packed as the spiked punch flowed down their throats. The DJ who was running the booth took requests and played songs off of a huge supply of CDs. Bella danced a couple of dances with old classmates like Mike Newton, old man Newton's grandson and Tyler Crowley who was back in town after failing at being a race car driver.

Around 10 pm, Bella was getting ready to leave when the DJ got quiet and the mayor stood on the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a treat tonight." He paused for dramatic effect and Bella's stomach plummeted. She knew what he was going to say. She had this feeling all day that Edward was near. She had put it down to being back in Forks, but she knew now she had been lying to herself, "Our hometown's super star is going to sing us a few songs here tonight live. Ladies and gents, making his return to the Forks High School gym stage in an encore of his high school talent show days, Edward Cullen!"

As the crowd went nuts and the curtain rose to show Edward and his band, Bella could feel her legs crumbling beneath her.

"Hello, Forks, how is it going?" Edward winked and laughed at his friends and family going nuts for him, "The first song we're going to play is called '_Some where Between Time'._" They went nuts again. And though she had no idea why Bella clapped and screamed along with everyone.

The strands of the music started out slow and haunting becoming a lively dance tune. Bella barely listened as she stared up at Edward who was all in black and looking dangerous; with his tight black jeans his black boots and that naughty black silk shirt that screamed sex. Bella swore that the jeans were so tight you could almost tell Edward was circumcised.

As that song ended and the applause calmed down, his velvet voice spoke again, "This one is going to be my next single. And since I wrote it right here years ago it seems only right that I debut it here for all of you. Here's _Bella's Heart._" The slow music began and some folks turned to look at Bella and smile. Bella knew the words already. She had been the only one at his first debut of the song.

"_I wanna go to the place I felt safest_

_My only true home_

_Inside the love that I hold tight,_

_All this I found only in Bella's heart. _

_When the sun rises_

_When the moon comes out to play_

_I know where I'll be_

_In the one place I never want to leave_

_Bella's heart is the key _

_To all I am and want to be_

_When I need it the most it's always there_

_Forever you'll find me _

_In Bella's heart_

_Forever I want to be inside Bella's heart_

The crowd screamed and Bella took the diversion to leave without notice. Rosalie ran out behind her, but took a second to glare at Edward Cullen, the man she once thought was perfect. Then she glared at his manager the blue-eyed stud who was staring at her. She met his gaze head on with a contemptuous glare.

Rose slid around a little trying to catch up with Bella, it had started to snow again and the temperature had dropped causing the melted snow to freeze over. Though, she did catch up half way down the street from the school, how her clumsy sister had made it that far on ice without falling, Rose couldn't figure out, "Bella, wait up!" she huffed and ran through the snow trying to make up for her sister's head start, "Damn, girl, I haven't had to run that fast since I was on FHS track team." She said grabbing onto Bella's shoulders.

"Damn him, Rose!" Bella screamed at her sister, "How dare he show up here, how can he stand there and sing the song he wrote for me. The song her wrote after the first time we made love?" Bella's eyes welled up with tears that slowly began slipping down her soft porcelain cheeks.

"Ms. Swan?" A vaguely familiar male voice dragged Bella around. Wiping the tears from her face, she looked into the blue eyes of Emmett McCarty.

"Mr. McCarty." She whispered back.

"Listen, McCarty, my sister doesn't want to be part of your fucking montage, nor anything to do with Edward Cullen's life. So, go back and tell your _client,_ that he can go to hell! He's not needed here nor is he wanted. He maybe the hometown star, but he is nothing to the Swans." Rose finished her tirade by grabbing onto Bella and pulling her towards their house.

"Bella!" A voice screamed. A voice Bella knew so well, she could conjure it up perfectly in her own head. A voice that had put pure pain in Bella. A voice she found herself running away from as fast as she could; leaving her sister and Emmett McCarty in complete shock standing in her dust. Not Edward though, he took off running after here. She had no idea where she was going, only that she had to get away.

Edward was shocked as his target took off. He never in his wildest dreams thought she'd take her clumsy butt off in a run, or he wouldn't have worn these damned tight pants. Alice had called them sexy and dangerous when she helped him pick them out, he had just hoped they would stir something in Bella tonight.

"Bella, slow down damn it before you hurt yourself." He screamed at her, "We need to talk."

"Go away, Edward. We have nothing left to say to each other." She puffed out in short little breaths.

Of course, Bella being Bella, she wasn't looking where she was going but had turned back to glare at Edward instead. And seeing him catching up with her quickly, she tried to go faster and ended up slipping on an ice patch. Landing none too gracefully on her butt and giving Edward more than enough time to get to her.

"Bella, baby, are you ok?" His eyes scanning her for injuries.

"No, Mr. Cullen, I am _not_ ok. You see I have a demented ex-boyfriend who is stalking me and now I have a broken ass!" She hollered up at him, her big brown eyes burning with rage.

"Awe, Kitten, I swear you have your Mother's good looks and your Father's gift for stating the obvious." He laughed at the outrage on her face, "Now, we both know Mr. Cullen is my father and I'm Edward. Come on, Kitten, you can say it… Edward." He laughed again as her hand shot up and told him he was number one, "Come on, Bella. Let's get you someplace warm. All I need to deal with is explaining to my _daughter_," he heard her gasp, but continued on, "that upon seeing her mother for the first time in six years, I broke her butt and caused her to get frost bite or pneumonia."

"No, you can't know. She's not yours, Edward, she's _mine_." Bella shrieked.

"We'll discuss it someplace warmer, Kitten." Looking back, he saw the cavalry, "Em, help me get Bella up and into the car." A long sleek black limo appeared as if by magic on the road behind them.

"Bella, are you alright?" Rose asked her sister.

"I don't know if I'll _ever_ be ok again." Came the weak reply.

*******

The limo pulled up at the Swan's house and the four people who had traveled the five-minute ride in complete silence, emerged. Walking as if she were on her way to the electric chair Bella watched Rosalie unlock the door and let everyone in.

Laughing could be heard coming from the living room. One very young and another more mature. Both female. Edward took off towards the living room in a strong purposeful stride. Bella's treacherous mind admired the firm manly backside of his ass then berated herself for it.

"Edward!" Renee's voice was nervous as she exclaimed his name.

"Renee." He nodded his eyes taking in the miniature female version of himself who sat smiling at him.

"I knew you'd come, Daddy!" Emma yelled launching herself into father's arms. He wrapped her tight and placed her little head under his chin.

"Hello, Emma." He whispered into her hair, "How did you know who I am?" He asked clearly bewildered that the child should know his identity.

"Silly! Mommy told me ages ago. But it's a secret cause if people knew then I maybe kidnapped or worse. Right, Mommy?" Emma turned her head towards Bella for confirmation.

"Right, baby." Bella responded.

"You told her?" Edward was clearly still in shock. He couldn't seem to grasp that Bella had told their daughter who he was and that the child seemed to like him.

"Yes, Edward. Since she was a baby she has known. Hell, she even has our graduation picture under her pillow. The one where you're holding…" Bella cut off as the memory filled her mind and heat filled Edward's eyes.

"Yeah, I know the one." The masculine timber filled with a seductive tone. The tone he used before, during and after sex. His 'I'm horny, baby' tone. Edward's green eyes raked over Bella's body then looked dead into her brown orbs. Bella almost felt like he was touching her with just a look. Her poor panties were the victims of his voice and gaze.

"Daddy, have you come to your winces now?" Emma asked.

"Winces?" Edward asked Bella.

"Senses, Edward." Bella told him through her suppressed laughter.

"Ahh, yes, Emma dear, I am in complete control of my senses." Edward told his daughter before cutting his eyes to Bella wondering what she had told the child.

"Good. 'Cause Mommy said that till you grow up and come to your winces, you wouldn't be ready to be Daddy." Emma told him, her vocabulary surprising him. Though her missing front tooth caused a slight lisp.

"Emma, this is my best friend Emmett McCarty." Edward introduced them when he noticed Emma staring at Emmett.

"You're pretty, Uncle Emmett." Emma told the man reaching over from her Dad's arms to hug him.

"Uncle?" Emmett asked flattered and shocked.

"Sure. You're Daddy's best friend; so you're my uncle. Like Auntie Maggie and Uncle Felix are, because they are Mommy's best friends." She said simply.

"I can deal with being uncle Em." He smiled.

Rose snorted, she wasn't happy with any of this. Especially Edward and Emmett invading their home.

"Emma darling, it's time to get ready for bed, go on up and brush your teeth and change into your jammies. I'll be up in a moment." The little girl hugged Edward one more time before running up the stairs.

"So…" Emmett said into the silence that followed.

"So, what?" Rose snapped looking dangerous.

"Listen, Edward, I know you want to discuss this thing… but I'm tired, Emma is tired; all of us are tired. Tomorrow is another day and not that far off. Come over around ten and we'll talk then." Bella looked at her ex, giving her sternest look. The one she used on Emma when she was having a tantrum.

"Bella, promise me you won't do anything rash like running." Edward begged at the door, looking at her intensely as if he could somehow dig out the hidden depths of her mind if he stared hard enough.

"That's your forte, Edward, not mine." Bella shut the door in Edward and Emmett's faces and promptly burst into tears.

"Oh, Bella!" Rose hugged Bella to her, "We'll fix this, hun."

"Rosie, he couldn't want to take her from me, could he? I mean it would cramp his playboy lifestyle. But, he wants something. I know him and I know the looks he gets and I just can't figure out what is his game this time." Bella looked up and standing on the stairs grinning was her beautiful daughter.

"Mommy, don't worry. Be happy Daddy's come to his winces." Emma smiled her impish grin and ran back up the stairs squealing with childish delight.

"Damn his senses." Bella muttered beneath her breath and then pulled herself together to follow her daughter up the stairs.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thanks to the lovely TwiDi for cleaning up my mess :) Check out her story You Don't Know Anything *hint it's in my favs ;). **

**Chapter 5**

"Did you know I'm pretty?" Emmett asked Edward as their limo made its way through town.

"Don't get conceded on me, McCarty." Despite the harsh words Edward smiled at the memory of his precocious daughter.

"Edward, we're friends and I also work for you. But, man, I can't support any decision that's going to hurt Isabella Swan." Emmett looked over at Edward's hard face that seemed set in stone at the moment, "she's obviously a wounded soul, Edward. And the only parent your child has ever known. If you break her you break Emma."

"Emmett," Edward said in exasperation, "_Bella_ is my problem. Has been since she crashed her trike into mine and threatened to sue me for reckless triking. However, I handle her is between her and I, not unwanted interference from outside parties."

Edward looked at his hand where his watch lay. Only a few more hours and he'd see her face in reality again. Instead of in the dreams that have plagued him, the images that had haunted him for the past six years. His daughter would have to be handled with kid gloves, but Bella was a different story. He still didn't know whether to get revenge or make love to her. He wondered if he wanted her to pay for haunting him more than he did for denying him his child.

He thought about Bella. She was no longer the sweet faced and bodied girl he had left behind. She was a full blown woman. Ripe in the right areas and still slim. She filled him with both desire and anger at the same time. It was actually easier to be angry with her when he was away from her. The sad part is, Edward thought, that he was probably more angry about the fact that she still had a hold over his body than the fact she had given birth to his child and concealed it.

~0~

Bella stood looking down at her daughter's sleeping form curled up on the bed. She knew her daughter deserved to know her father, but images of the past refused to leave Bella's mind. Every time she closed her eyes she saw that dank Nashville apartment where the dazzling star stood wearing only Edward's shirt and a satisfied look about her.

Those last moments before the storm that they had spent curled up in each others' arms in their cabin were the last time Bella had trusted anyone completely. She knew she held back and maybe that is what kept her from ever finding someone to really love again. Well, that and the fact anytime another man touched her she felt guilty and her body felt ill. Edward was its master and it rejected any other's touch.

Walking back into her own room, Bella undressed and crawled between the covers. Closing her eyes, she said a little prayer that things would get better and work out for the best.

~0~

Edward stood in the living room of the old cabin. Beside him, sat his luggage and guitar case. Outside the debris from construction littered the landscape. The dream home was almost done. And he was almost ready to fill it with his chosen occupants.

~0~

Over and over, the melody played in her head. It wouldn't stop. Soft and haunting filled with emotions she'd rather forget, the song played in her head refusing to give her a break. She tossed and turned back and forth, her body quivering with anger. He wasn't going to get away with betraying her. Edward wasn't as in control of her as he thought. She would make him pay.

~0~

Rosalie Lillian Swan paced the length of her room. The events of the night keeping her void of sleep. The odds of Edward showing up like he had, had been so small she never even thought it would happen. She fumed. One day Edward Cullen will pay for his sins. Rose refused to sit back and let him just waltz back into her family's life. And she would see him dead before she allowed him to hurt Bella or Emma ever again.

And Emmett McCarty had another thing coming if he thought his dimples and striking blue eyes were going to sway her. He was Edward's friend; which made him the _enemy_. No matter how fucking sexy he was.

~0~

Bella woke up early and watched as the sun rose from her enclosed back porch. The snow on the ground glistened and looked as cold as Bella felt inside. Hearing noises from the kitchen she walked back in.

"Morning, Mom." Bella kissed her Mother's soft cheek.

"Morning, baby. This cast makes it impossible to sleep. Between the itching and then trying to maneuver into a comfortable position; it is really hopeless." Renee told Bella. Both of them knew the real reason they both woke up early. Neither was ready to discuss it yet.

"I think I missed snow more than I ever thought possible." Bella smiled slightly.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that other bull crap." Rose said coming into the kitchen sniffing the air. She was searching for coffee. Bella laughed to herself; Rose was dangerous before her first cup.

The three women sat around the breakfast nook talking sharing memories and getting reacquainted for the next two hours. Looking at pictures of growing up and ones of Emma's life as well. Bella realized that very few pictures of herself growing up didn't feature Edward in them. She couldn't help wondering how you could think you knew someone so well only to find them the exact opposite. In a million years, she would have never thought Edward would have cheated on her, let alone show back up in Forks after all this time.

"Mommy?" Emma came into the kitchen clad in her Winnie the Pooh footsie pajamas. She woke up and couldn't find her Mom, so she went looking for her.

"Hey, sug." Bella said and pulled her bronze-haired baby into her lap.

"Look, Mommy." Emma pointed to the pictures on the table. The one catching her eyes was with her Aunt Maggie and Uncle Felix along with Bella and Edward. "You look so happy there, Mommy." Emma sighed. She had never seen her Mommy as happy as she looked in this pictures. Why Mommy didn't know Emma had heard her cry before at night.

"That was prom night, Emma." Renee told her only grandchild. She smiled remembering a time when everything in the world had felt right. Her Charlie had been with her at her side taking pictures of their daughter and her friends. Bella didn't have a wounded soul and Rose hadn't been as bitter about men as she was today.

"Your parents started planning out prom night in middle school." Bella blushed as her mom told the well-known story. "Your poor Father," Renee was happy at finally being able to call Edward, Emma's father out loud, "jumped through hoops the week before prom. Just because your Mom wanted everything perfect. He even drove six hours into Seattle just to take her to find the right shoes." The older three women laughed and Emma grinned.

"Daddy musta loves you bunches, Mommy." Emma knew in her heart that her dream would come true. Surely if Daddy would do so much for silly shoes, he actually did love Mommy.

"Sweetie, once upon a time your father and I loved each other so much. But young love doesn't always endure. We will both always love you, but that doesn't mean we'll always love each other." Bella grinned at Rose as she hugged Emma close to herself. "See, a mother's love lasts forever or else Gram would have let me sell your Auntie Rose to the gypsies years ago." Rose threw a roll at Bella and they began to tell Emma about the things they did growing up, the clean version.

The time seemed to pass without them noticing, for they were all startled when the knock sounded on the back door. Rose got up to answer it. Only family and close friends used the back door, everyone else used the front.

"Oh, it's you. You should have gone to the front door. You lost back door privileges six years ago." Rose told the man in the doorway bitterly.

"Open the door, Rosalie." Edward told the girl. He admitted to himself how startled he was by how grown up Rose was now. She had just been on the cusp of womanhood the last time he saw her. She had always been beautiful, but now she was stunning. Though, she still couldn't compare to Bella and her breath taking beauty. "I've never used the front door; and I'm not going to start gossip by doing it now." He pushed gently past her, only to have a pint sized female version of himself leap into his arms. "Hey, darling girl." He hugged his child tightly. Her acceptance and warmth lessened his anger towards Bella and made him feel again.

"Daddy!" She giggled and hugged him tight. "Love you." She kissed his cheek and firmly took hold of Edward's heart.

"Love you too, munchkin." He told her. The words felt odd in his mouth since he rarely said them anymore. Just to his Mom and Lizzie on the occasions that they pushed it.

"Emma, go with Aunt Rose to get dressed, baby." Bella's voice was thick with emotion as she sent their child to change.

Edward looked at Bella wearing jeans and a sweater, her hair up in a ponytail and he felt eighteen again. "Aww, kitten." He whispered softly to himself. He was torn between kissing her, begging her forgiveness or just hating her. She had cast him as the villain of the piece in this whole mess, but she wasn't innocent herself. If that horrible man was right at all. Plus, the fact that when he tried to find her to explain, no one knew where she was. She hid for over a year, by then he knew it was too late to even try.

"Edward." Renee acknowledged him in the awkward silence that had followed Emma's departure from the warm family kitchen.

"Renee, it has been far too long." Edward told the woman who had been as much of a Mother to him as his own.

"Yes, I believe it has been." Renee said in a sad voice glancing between Bella and himself.

"Bella." Edward looked at the woman who haunted him, the one who was once his entire world.

"Edward." Bella replied stiffly. "We are not going to talk with Emma in the house." She told him.

"I agree." Edward gave her a genuine smile. So far so good, he thought to himself. "I have a car outside. I thought we could ride around and talk." His crooked grin was appearing and Bella was arguing with her girlie bits not to respond, they didn't listen to her. It was taking all Bella had not to offer to give him a ride in her bedroom.

"Ok, let me grab my coat and purse." She ran quickly and grabbed what she needed. Coming back into the room, she handed her mother a slip of paper. "Mom, this is my cell number. If I am needed, call." Edward added his cell and Emmett McCarty's number to the list as well.

The pair climbed into the rental Lexus, both of them not knowing how to start the conversation. Though both knew it would change everything, they just couldn't seem to get out a word. Edward reached over and turned on the radio. The very end of one of his first number one songs played like a mocking joke. The song talked about how much Edward missed Bella, almost begging her to come back. It was his declaration. Edward almost laughed out loud at the fool he was when he wrote the song. He had been hoping and praying Bella would hear it and come back to him. The words echoed in his mind.

_I heard you call my name_

_When I turn you're not there_

_It's just not right, not having you near_

_You are my best friend_

_The only one I've ever trusted_

_Though now I'm all alone, since you're gone_

_Into the night_

_You just disappeared_

_Without a word you just vanished_

_Without a trace from my life_

_Will I ever see you again?_

_The smile on your face_

_Those deep brown eyes_

_Would you come back?_

_Will you come back?_

_I've learned a lesson while loving you_

_A man can be so stupid_

_And screw up a love so true._

God, he was a fool.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thanks to the lovely TwiDi for cleaning up my mess :) Check out her story You Don't Know Anything *hint it's in my favs ;). **

**Chapter 6**

"So…" She gently said.

"Yeah, I'm drawing a blank as to where to start too." He grinned and she shyly giggled.

Bella couldn't believe she was nervous of Edward. This was Edward, not some stranger she was on a first date with. Edward was the only man to know her completely and intimately. He was the keeper of her secrets for so many years and the father of her child. The man-child that she had once loved was still there inside of him somewhere. But oddly, he was hidden behind the presence of this man. Edward Cullen the man, the super star was in fact a stranger to her. She shook her head slightly and pulled herself together.

"Here." She pulled an envelope out of her purse and put it on the dashboard. "That is the letter I wrote you the day Emma was born. You never got it, because the person I gave it to, to mail "forgot" to mail it." She didn't know why but she felt it was important that he knew that once upon a time she had tried to tell him.

"I'll read it later." He was shocked. He was also very aware that either Maggie or Rose was probably the one who had been given the task to mail him the letter. That one of them had made the decision for him and Bella that he shouldn't know about his daughter. He could tell that Rose at the very least was a completely different person than the sweet loving girl he knew. She was harder, bitter and seemed to hate anyone with a penis.

"It was a year before I knew that you didn't get the letter. When I found out, I thought maybe it was for the best. Emma always knew who you are and I've known for a while that she wanted to meet you." Bella took a breath and then hurried on, "I even went to a concert of yours once to tell you, but…" Her voice drifted off and her mind slipped back in time.

Edward was shocked, he always wondered if that night she was really there. He had felt her presence the whole time he'd been on stage. It had been years since that night, but he could remember it like it was yesterday. He could also guess why Bella hadn't approached him. Alice. Ali had shown up crying and a complete mess; and being her friend, Edward had of course let her stay backstage and tried to calm her. Bella probably had taken one look at Alice and ran.

He knew Bella hated Alice, she hated him for Alice. He hated himself for the way he handled the situation with Alice. Over one woman and a stupid favor for his brother, he lost so much. He lost the future he had dreamed of. He'd lost his world. He lost the first few years of his daughter's life. Edward wasn't sure he'd ever forgive himself.

"I came back here about a week after you ran out. I wanted to give you time to cool off, so I could talk to you and explain everything. I kept telling myself to let you cool off and everything would be fine." He laughed bitterly, "God, the vain bastard that I was just knew you'd be curled up somewhere crying. I was going to tell you the truth and tell you I loved you more than anything that then you'd fall back into my arms and follow me anywhere." He looked into her furious brown eyes and knew he'd said too much too soon.

"I was busy living my life, Edward. You turned me so cold that I didn't even cry." She had cried many nights, but there was no way she was letting him know that. "I had just buried my Dad, Edward. And in that same period of time, I buried my hopes, my dreams and everything that we had. When Alice Brandon came out of that room you died to me too." Bella felt cold inside of the car's heated interior. The flash of that dreadful day chilled her to the bone.

"Kitten." He said harshly like it was ripped from his throat. He reached for her knee and cringed when she pulled away from him. None of this was like he expected it to be. "Bella, we were kids, we didn't know what life could throw at a person and you had a land slide of bad come at you, but…" She stopped him with a wild laugh.

"You bastard!" She screamed. "Landslide of bad? My whole damn world crashed around me in less than three months. I lost the two men I loved and trusted the most; and in order to protect my child, I ended up in a one bedroom apartment with Maggie and Felix. I worked, went to school and raised a child all at the same time, Edward. Over the past six years you have become rich, famous and a critical success. All of your dreams came true, all of them handed to you by a beautiful talented woman, all you had to do was be her man-whore and crush me. So tell me, Edward, was it worth it?" Anger poured from her, he could tell that one wrong word and he'd be roasted.

"Bella, Alice didn't give me everything. If I didn't have talent, I would just be one of the many thousands of wanna-be singers and song-writers that come to Nashville everyday who never get a chance." Edward pulled the car off the road into the driveway of an old empty house. "I have to check on something here. Come on in and we can continue our talk without the worry of wrecking the car." He smiled slightly.

"Edward, why the hell are we at the old Banner place?" Bella took in the old place. Its peeling paint, rotting wood and its over all less than stellar upkeep. She couldn't figure out why the hell Edward would want to be here.

"Business, Kitten. I'm also in real estate investments. I bought this place, or should I say I'm _going_ to after giving it one more go over before making my final decision. Though, this one isn't for resale." He said unlocking the door.

Bella felt a chill go up her spine. Was Edward buying this place to live in himself or for someone else? "Edward, what is this house for then?" She tentatively inquired of him.

"Can't say, Bella, it's a surprise in a way." He smiled to himself. Bella hated surprises and he knew it. She could wait a little bit longer, he though. Seeing her squirm could be funny. And he held in a laugh as she stomped her foot. He knew she was about to go off on a tangent.

"Edward, this is absurd. Emma has me and your life really has no room for a child. There's really nothing to discuss, we should just go on living the way we have been. You and Emma can call or write each other. Maybe visit one another once or twice a year. Then, when she is old enough she can stay a few weeks during the summer with you." The words poured out of her in a nervous rant. Edward stood there staring at her like she had two heads and a tail.

"Bella, you agree she and I should have contact and that is a step in the right direction. But, I think that _our_ child," he stressed the word our, "should see both of her parents _whenever_ she likes." Her mouth dropped open and he laughed internally at the adorable fish like quality she took on with the bulging eyes and the mouth opening and shutting as she tried to speak.

"No!" She screamed and ran up the old stair case in an effort to get away from him. Of course, being Bella, instead of using the door and running outside she ran up the stairs. Though, her only thought was to get away from Edward.

The old stairs creaked and moaned under her slight weight as Bella bounded up. Edward stood there for a moment in shock that she just took off like that. This was the second time in less than forty-eight hours that Bella had run away from him.

Bella knew it was childish of her to run but her self preservation instinct had kicked in and it said run.

It took Edward a minute but he took off after her running full-speed up the stairs. "Bella, come on, how old are you?" He stopped suddenly. He stood still as the pain in his ankle erupted. The pain was like an old arch nemesis returning at the worst possible time. "Bella!" He screamed in pain and anguish.

She stood in the master bedroom frozen. Was this a trick? He sounded as if he was dying, "Edward?" Bella called.

"Bella, I'm on the stairs, come help me, Kitten." His voice was filled with a pain so real that she _knew_ it to be real. She quickly made her way to the stairs looking at his face bunched in pain and sweat beads lining his forehead.

"Edward, what happened?" Bella asked as she leaned down to his side touching gently his hand that was resting on his left ankle.

"I've reinjured my left ankle." He sigh was pain filled. "Last year, I broke it during a concert and it seems I've irritated the old injury." Bella grimaced.

"Didn't you break that ankle during our seventh grade verses eighth grade baseball game, back when we were in seventh?" His eyes found humor as he remembered that day.

"If I remember it right, _you_ broke my ankle that day. If I hadn't had to rush and then jumped into the bleachers where Mr. Humphrey had you 'safely' placed to save you from falling and killing yourself, I wouldn't have ended up in a cast. The fact that you fell on me instead of the ground; being the main cause." Bella laughed out loud, she could remember that day clearly. He had stopped her from breaking her own neck and caused himself a ton of pain. Though, she was happy that she had distracted him from his pain at the moment.

"Edward, we need to get you to the car and then to the doctor." Bella knew it was coming before it happened. Edward cringed and tried to hide his pain like he always did when the word doctor was brought up, the big baby. "Be a man, Edward." Bella said mocking tone that echoed his father's tone.

"Only if you'll be a woman." Edward whispered seductively at her and drew her into his arms. Disarmed for a moment, she responded to his exploring kiss. God, he tasted like home and Edward.

"Edward." She moaned into his mouth. His hands were working their way up under her sweater, "Edward." She came to her senses barely in time. His hands were already starting work on her bra.

"What?" His emerald green eyes darkened with his passion. His voice husky and sexy as sin.

"Edward Anthony Cullen!" She pushed him off. "Damn you! You always have done this. Try and get me to stop thinking with sex and making me bend to your will! Well, not this time." She screamed at him.

Edward was stunned by what just happened. For a moment, he was seventeen again, sitting in their cabin with his only thought and desire being Bella in his arms. Hot, wet and ready for him. "Kitten." He whispered hoarsely at her back. God, could it be that he still loved her? Or was it the memory of her that he was in love with. His head couldn't figure it out. Maybe he loved the past and the present.

"Shut up, Edward, just shut up." She turned her brown eyes blazing into his green. "You wanted to talk, so we'll talk." Pacing to the bottom of the stairs with Edward hobbling beside her slowly. Bella was determined to tell him exactly what had been building in her for six long, lonely and extremely hard years.

"Bella?"

Edward was both hurt that she pushed him away and confused. He wasn't used to feeling the latter. Pain he knew all too well, be it of the heart, body or mind. Confusion… was something her rarely felt.

Bella helped him over to the sofa that had one of those white dust covers on it. She helped to set him down and get comfortable, the whole time her anger bubbled in her brown eyes.

"Six years ago, Edward. Six damned years ago, I wouldn't have had the strength to tell you what I am going to tell you today." She let out a long breath and Edward went to speak, but she quickly shut him up with a look. "Where should I start?" She asked herself talking out loud. She walked to the old bay window and stared out. The fresh snow looked as cold as she felt inside. Taking another fortifying breath, she turned to face the man who once been her whole life.

"Bella?" Edward said again in a harsh whisper. He was getting worried about her. She was wound so tight, that if she got any tighter she'd break.

"Edward, when I got to Nashville that day I had twelve grand and all my hopes and dreams with me. When I left, I had seed money for a baby, myself and two others to make a new start and not much else. The unpractical side of me that dared to dream was you; and with you gone, it died. I've only done one stupid thing since the last time I saw you' and that was to date James because he seemed the complete opposite of you."

"Bella, we don't have to do this now." He just wanted her to calm down, but she turned and glared at him.

"When he found out about you, I could see dollar signs in his eyes. He thought you might want to pay child support or a nice lump sum pay-off for Emma. He could care less about my feelings and after four months of battles, Momma called. She needed me here and I left James behind." Bella gave Edward a grim look. "Now, he keeps calling and I'm tempted to get a restraining order. I just thank God I never married him, or gave in to his idea to adopt her or to tell her that he was now her daddy."

Edward agreed with that. The stupid man had called him wanting money and offering Emma as a bartering prize. But why had Bella kept her boyfriend before knowing his true nature from being Emma's father figure? And why hadn't she married him? "Bella, why didn't you let him play daddy? Why didn't you marry him?" Edward pondered not realizing he had asked that question out loud.

"Because Emma has a father whom I'd always planned for her to know one day. I've never even thought about him being her dad, Edward. Emma is the last gift you ever gave me before it all fell apart. And, I would have never given that gift to someone else." A small tear trailed down her left cheek and she looked at him in the eyes. "Once upon a time, Edward there was a girl who believed in happily-ever-after till the prince left her for Snow White and the end flashed before her eyes." Bella's laugh was bitter as were her eyes. "Do you love her, Edward? Did you ever love her?"

"Bella." He went to stand and she backed further away from him, "Bella, I _care_ about Ali, but I've never loved her. Only one woman has ever had my heart and that's you." His green eyes pleaded with her to believe him.

"You care about her but you never loved her, but you loved me?" She asked, her voice void of emotion.

"Yes, Bella." He said hoping she would understand that she was the only one he had ever loved.

"You bastard! You ruined my life! You stole my innocent outlook and broke my heart for a woman you only care about!" She shouted at him, the fire in her brown eyes made them look almost black. "I'd have rather had you fallen madly in love with her and couldn't contain your love than just cared. Edward, I could handle being the first love that once you got to the big city alone for the first time you outgrew, the one where you left her behind when you found your real true love. But to be the one you loved; where you still could screw another woman… _that_ I cannot handle." She took a deep breath and blew it out. "All these years, I consoled myself with the thought that you had fallen in love with Alice Brandon and that I, at least, found you with someone you loved more than me. Now, you tell me you "care" for Ali but you loved me. Edward Cullen, you are an asshole. I wish I had known when I was two then, I could have saved myself some grief." She looked around wildly and then spat out. "I never thought I'd say this, but I feel sorry for Alice Brandon."

"Bella!" Rose screamed coming through the door. The very large and sexy Emmett McCarty on her heels. "The neighbors called Momma when they heard screaming." Rose looked at her sister's confused face. "Mrs. Jones saw you come in here and old Mr. Lambert has already put bets out on when your and Edward's wedding date will be."

"Damn small town gossips." Edward blurted out, "McCarty I need my crutches. Hurt that damn ankle again." Emmett nodded and picked up is Iphone and dialed.

"Bella?" Rose questioned her sister who was both silent and motionless. "Are you ok?"

"Rose, did you bring a car?" Bella asked harshly.

"Of course, you didn't really think I'd let blue-eyes drive me anywhere?" She gave a cheeky grin and led her sister out of the house.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**AN: Many thanks to**** the lovely TwiDi for cleaning up my mess :) My writing would completely suck without her fixing it up pretty for all of you. Check out her story You Don't Know Anything *hint it's in my favs ;)* !**

**If you're a fan of Homecoming, there is a poll on my profile. One of my readers wanted me to do interviews with the characters, I just wanted to see if anyone is interested in that.**

**Also a note I am considering putting Casualties of Desire on hiatus, the last chapter I received a quarter of the reviews as the one before, and that one received also received less than the one before that. I'm thinking people just aren't that interested in the story. **

**Oh and umm the next chapter for this may or may not have why Edward was in the room with Alice, and some other secrets reveal. Want to find out? Inspire me ;). *insert evil laugh here* lol.**

**Chapter 7**

Without a word between them Rose and Bella traveled back to their childhood home. Both had too much on their minds to be able to make conversation with the other. As they walked up the stairs of the back porch, Rosalie had the strangest chill go up her spine and Bella stopped cold in her tracks. The man sitting in her mother's kitchen made Bella want to run the opposite direction.

"James?" Bella's ex-boyfriend sat at the kitchen table with her mother and child.

"Isabella, darling, how are you?" His smooth cultured voice that she once found so stable and comforting now made her feel ill.

"Oh, never better, James. You've done me the greatest favor letting everything out of the bag like that." She said with fake sincerity.

"I'm glad, now don't you think it's time to come home, Isabella? This game has gone far too long."

"You don't get it, James. And, I'm not going to explain it to you with Emma in the room." Bella's brown gaze took in the female miniature of Edward and grinned. "Hey, sug, what's up?"

"Uncle James says we are gonna go back with him to Jacksonville." Emma sighed, "I don't wanna go, Momma. I wanna be here with you and Daddy." Emma looked behind her Mom and grinned, "Daddy!" Emma launched herself into her father's open arms.

"Emma, my beautiful one, how are you?" Edward asked his daughter, not noticing the other man yet.

"Fine Daddy, but don't want to go back to Jacksonville." Emma sighed again like the weight of the world rested on her tiny shoulders.

"Why would you worry about that, munchkin?" Looking up from his daughter Edward took in the blond man sitting at the Swan family kitchen table. "Don't worry, kiddo." He then whispered in Emma's ear. "Go upstairs and play, let the big people talk." Putting the child down he noticed she looked scared to leave.

"Daddy," she whispered and Edward bent low to hear her out, "don't let him hurt Mommy again." Then the child ran for her life, leaving him pondering over what she had just said.

"Edward, would you like some coffee dear?" Renee asked him.

"I think I will help myself to a cup, thanks." He winked at the older woman; then proceeded to show James how very much at home he was in this house. Going straight to the _right_ mug cabinet; then going to the right cabinet to get the substitute sweetener and after that pulled open the right drawer for the spoons. Edward hid a grin. He was so glad Renee Swan never changed things in her kitchen.

Bella hid her own smile, she knew Edward well enough to know what was going on. She peaked at James and he had a distinctly put out look about him. In the time that he and Bella had dated, James had never been in her Mother's kitchen, or her home. He had no idea where Bella's old bedroom was, let alone where to find a fork in this house. Edward's little display pissed James off, because he knew he could never have that kind of familiarity here.

"Bella, want some, love?" Edward asked her with a raised sexy eyebrow.

"Please." She told him softly. She watched as Edward poured her coffee black and handed her the cup with exactly one teaspoon of real sugar in it. The way that Bella had taken her coffee since she'd first sipped it from her Daddy's mug as a young girl around Emma's age. "Thanks." Bella thanked Edward politely; the rotten man had the nerve to wink at her.

"Not too sweet, not to bitter, just like you, my Bella." Edward aid in a fake Irish brogue and kissed the tip of her nose. What the hell is he up to? Bella thought to herself. Renee shot her daughter a confused look, which her daughter returned.

James grew more irate and was so red in his face that Bella worried they'd have to call an ambulance for his blood pressure. James was trying to get his own way. And here, his ex-girlfriend, was all cozy with a man she had always claimed to hate. He wasn't a happy man.

Rose came in a few moments later, after getting Emma settled upstairs. She took in her Mother and sister looking baffled, Edward looking decidedly smug and James looking really pissed off.

"Edward, your pretty boy lackey is standing on the front porch looking for you." Rose told Edward in an offhanded manner.

"Rosalie, dear, didn't the poor man want to come in?" Renee inquired of her youngest child.

"He asked if Edward was here, which to me was so dumb because Edward's car is in the drive. I said yes and he just stood there so I shut the door in his face." Rose said simply, "Edward, I think he's maybe slow. Then again, he is a man." Rose gave a short laugh and looked at James, "Kent, you're still here?" Calling James by his last name, then she turned to Renee. "See, Momma, men are slow." Winking at Bella, she wondered back into the living room where her niece was playing. Privately, Rose could admit that Emmett McCarty was a stud. The perfect male body and he unnerved her. But no one else, especially not him needed to know that.

Bella walked out and let Emmett in, apologizing for her sister's rudeness. Bella wondered to herself what it was about Emmett McCarty that made her sister act out like a third grader? All beat up a person you're getting a crush on so they'll notice you. He was attractive in the way to handsome for his own good way, a little too bulky and bearish for Bella's taste. He was nowhere near Edward in looks or pure sex appeal.

"Bella," James grabbed her arm as she went to walk through the kitchen doorway, "we need to talk, in _private_." His eyes were wild and were reminding her of that night she wanted to forget.

"James, the only talking I will be doing is through my lawyer." She threatened. She jerked her arm lose and glanced at Edward who was propped up on a stool that was up against the kitchen island. He was still in pain but Bella could tell there was no way he'd let James know. She could also see his anger at James for touching her.

"Bella, why don't you get Mr. McCarty some coffee?" Renee said trying to keep the peace in the room.

"Please, call me Emmett, Mrs. Swan." Renee beamed and told him to call her Renee.

"Cullen should get his own damned guest coffee." James stated coldly. Bella snapped.

"Mind your own damned business; and get the hell out of my home. You belong in Jacksonville, not here. This is where I belong, where Emma belongs." Bella had ice dripping from each word. She could sense Edward ready to beat the shit out of James. In her mind's eye she could see the headlines and herself having to go into hiding with Emma to avoid the media.

"You, bitch, it's always been about him hasn't it?" James grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. The other two men jumped up and came forward ready to remove James.

"Kent, get your hands off." Edward's voice ripped through Bella like a bullet threw the heart, the tone was that deadly.

"Awe… now, pretty boy, I have her now, you tossed her away, remember?" James taunted, "then again, why should I want your leftovers? A man's ego can only take so much." Bella realized then that James was drunk. When he laughed the scent of cheap scotch drifted into her nodes. "Couldn't even do anything right. She'd pretend, give that small smile of pity; and regret. Hell, I wasn't even allowed to know who Emma's father was. Started thinking Bella had been rapped till that night." James looked into Bella's eyes, bitterness and a need for revenge lit his pale blue orbs.

"James, just go, please." Bella whispered.

"You'd like that. You'd love for me to go. That way you can keep your precious control and Cullen never knows the truth. Like if his song or name was mentioned you'd flip the channel. That whenever he came to town in concert you'd make trips out of town. Afraid of being that close to him, hmm?" James was tormenting her and he was enjoying it.

Bella cautioned a look at Edward who was torn between wanting to know what James had to say and protecting me.

"James, just leave, we both know you are drunk and you'll regret this when you're sober." Bella whispered again.

"The only thing I regret is letting you run rough shoulder over me for too long."

"Liar, you always did whatever you wanted. Denying you knowledge that had no bearing on our relationship at that time was not controlling you!" Bella yelled.

"Bitch, screamed his name every damn time we got close to being intimate. I couldn't even have sex with my girlfriend; you'd pull away every damn time. When kissing got out of hand you'd moan his fucking name. No bearing on our relationship, my ass." James screamed back.

Bella fell to her knees crying. She held her hands to her face trying to push back the tears. So many times she had tried to move on, tried to be more with James. Green eyes and soft kisses haunted her. Her body only wanted Edward's.

"The worst was when you slept. A little nap on my sofa or yours, after a long day and I'd just wait… Sometimes, it was more interesting than watching TV. Whether it was the sweet 'I love you' dreams, the erotic ones with you moaning his name, or the nightmare where you cried your fucking eyes out; no matter what the dream was, your face… no matter what the dream was… it was alive, filled with emotion. I knew you weren't dreaming about me. Emotions never came into our relationship, did it? The tears running down your cheeks, going on and on about not being able to find him, dramatic as hell, Bella." James said mockingly.

"You are full of crap, Kent." Rose said emerging from the doorway. "She was probably crying because you beat her to a pulp then blamed her for it. Emma has been telling me the most amazing story." Rosalie paused for dramatic flair, "about this guy who used to be nice, then he turned into a mean monster; smacking Bella out of the blue and threatening her with newspaper reporters or even with telling Edward himself. My little niece picked up a lot more than she let on. Though, my sister must have grown tired of being a victim because she left."

Bella moved over and was now being cradled in her Mother's arms. She was sobbing out of control and embarrassed as hell. All the bad, all the misery was coming to the forefront of her mind. On the other side of the kitchen, Emmett was restraining Edward, who was trying to get to James. James on the other hand was furious and glaring at Rosalie.

"Why, James? Why hold on when you could tell it was over? Didn't you care that your _girlfriend_ was only with you because you forced her and intimidated her? Where is your pride, man?" She laughed in his face. Her beautiful face was full of contempt and she carried a need to lash out at least one of the men who had harmed her sister.

"Bitch!" James roared and whacked her across her face. Chaos broke out then. Emmett jumped on James and began beating the crap out of him. Renee dialed 911 and Bella rushed to Edward, holding him back so that he didn't get arrested for assault and also holding him because he felt safe. Edward was struggling with himself. Part of him wanted to get a piece of James himself, the other didn't want to let go of the piece of heaven in his arms.

Chief Ward, an old family friend, Rosalie's Godfather and one time deputy to the late Chief Swan, came personally to the house. Coming through the backdoor; pulling Emmett and James apart. Ward's two officers cuffed both men and then turned to walk them to the car. Rose followed them with protests of Emmett's arrest.

"Edward, you'd better get me a lawyer." Emmett said on his way out the door. Looking over at Bella, Edward winked.

"I know the best in town." Taking out his cell he called his father to meet them at the station.

Bella and Edward took a moment to check on Renee and Emma. Making sure that their daughter was still snug in her bed for a nap and had not overheard the chaos that the adults had just been involved with. Bella and Rose then joined Edward in his rental car to go to the police station.

"Why do I feel like I'm on an episode of Springer?" Rose mumbled and the other two burst out into a boisterous laugh.

As they pulled into the station's parking lot, Bella caught sight of Carlisle Cullen for the first time since she returned. He hadn't aged a bit. Standing over at his dark green Mercedes, leaning against it like some well-aged male model. Bella mentally calculated that he had to be in his mid to late fifties, if not early sixties at this point, yet still looked around forty. Bella was happy to see him smile at her and was warmed when he came and hugged her. Bella's heart contracted when he hugged her, her thoughts filled with her own Dad. _Oh, Daddy, I miss you so._ Carlisle's hug was so paternal; it was hard not to think of Charlie.

"Isabella, it is about time both you and my Granddaughter returned home where you both belong. Esme and I cannot wait to meet Emma." Carlisle looked at his oldest child, "Edward, what exactly have you gotten into this time?" Carlisle tried to sound stern but his grin refused to stay off his face. His internal joy at his son finally being home, bringing along his grandchild and the chance of Edward finally reconciling with the girl, woman now, that he always belonged with. The way that Edward was leaning on Bella told him all he needed to know.

"Emmett beat the crap out of Bella's ex-boyfriend after he slapped Rose around." Edward said trying and failing to sound like a street thug. Edward grinned back at his father. Years ago they had made peace, now they were a lot closer than they had ever been.

"Hmm… let's go see what Ward is charging them with; then we'll handle this whole boyfriend problem." Carlisle told the trio before him. He was already thinking of ways to keep this ex boyfriend out of Bella's life forever.

Inside jail, Emmett sat with his hands handcuffed behind his back. He had sworn he would never be in this position again. He'd promised his Mom years ago that he'd never get arrested again. Hell, in the past ten years he hadn't even had a parking ticket. Now, here he sat almost thirty one years old, handcuffed and being booked on assault charges. All because a sassy blond who needed some sense knocked into her, had gotten smacked by her sister's ex-boyfriend. Why had seeing Rosalie Swan get hurt made him feel so violent, when he'd seen worse things happen to people? Things hell of a lot worse than one smack across the cheek and he had never reacted then. Thinking about it, he decided it wasn't something he was sure he wanted to know.

"Edward, are you ok?" Bella looked at Edward, his lips white from pressing his lips together. He was trying to keep all signs of pain away.

"Yes, love, are you?" He asked through clenches teeth. His ankle was killing him, but Bella was already worried enough, she didn't need to worry about his ankle as well.

"I'll live." She told him simply.

"You'd better. I'm not through with you yet." He warned and a chill went down her spine. Though his wink made something else tingle within her.

Carlisle went into the room with James Kent. Rosalie had briefed him on the emotional blackmail he had put Bella through to keep her with him. She explained about the physical abuse and also how this fight started at the Swans' home. Carlisle was determined to handle this bastard himself.

"Mr. Kent?" Carlisle asked, but didn't wait for an answer, "I'm Carlisle Cullen. I am a lawyer." Kent's eyebrows rose, but he remained silent, "I can get you out of here all charges dropped, _or…_ I can get you lost in the system. Simply put; your life is now in my hands."

"I'm assuming you want something for my freedom?" James asked the older man sarcastically.

"You are smarter than you look, James." Carlisle looked at the man directly in the eyes. "First, Bella. You leave and _never_ contact her or anyone in her family again. Next, you drop charges against McCarty for assault. Last, you will sign a confidentiality agreement protecting all of us." James went to argue, but Carlisle cut him off. "Do this; and you walk free and get twenty five thousand dollars wired into your bank account."

"Done." James' greed overcame him. He was getting the better end of the deal anyways, he thought. Who needed a damaged woman and a kid that wasn't even his to raise. And pretty boy Cullen still wouldn't get Bella. James knew how cold his ex could be from experience; and how she could never forgive anything.

"I'll be back in an hour with the agreement and we'll get you out of here as soon as that is done. Know that if you break it, I will take everything you own, I will make you wish you were never born." Carlisle was a shrewd business man as well as a damned good lawyer. He knew this money was well spent, that the greedy bastard in front of him would be more concerned about the loss of his own money, than revenge. He walked out of the cell ignoring the offending man completely after saying this.

"Dad?" Edward looked at his father who looked like… well, he looked like he single-handedly just won the Super Bowl.

"Fixed." Carlisle said and walked over to Ward to get Emmett's release started.

Ward quickly went into James' cell and got him to sign the paperwork to drop all charges against Emmett. He then processed everything so that Emmett's arrest looked like it never happened. He wondered though if the Cullens knew that Mr. McCarty had quite the record in his past?

**AN2: Reviews=inspiration. **


	8. Thank you for reading 8

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**AN: Thanks to the lovely TwiDi for cleaning up my mess :) Check out her story You Don't Know Anything *hint it's in my favs ;). ILY BB. **

**Also thank you to every single one of my readers. Once again sorry for not getting to the review replies, I did a lot of updating this week and I figured you'd rather have a new chapter. I'll try to do better next time. **

**For those who have read Tempting Bella, there have been changes, including a little extra lemony zest for your reading pleasure. **

**Oh and I highly recommend you read Lost in Meyer, it is on my favorites list. Kat's writing is awesomspice. **

**Chapter 8**

As soon as they were all done, they left the police station as quickly as possible. They all walked towards the cars waving goodbye to Carlisle, who took the time to remind Bella he wanted to meet his grandchild soon. Bella assured him that sometime this week, she'd come by with Emma for dinner and to meet he and Esme.

Emmett sat in the seat behind the driver's seat. He was a little stunned and a lot amazed at how true it was about small towns. As long as you knew the right people, you could get away with about anything. Nothing was even added on to his record. Clearly the last name 'Cullen' meant a lot here in Forks. It was a nice town. _Maybe Momma would like to live here,_ he pondered.

Rose looked over at stud man, as she had dubbed Emmett. He reeked of money, power and breading. You could almost smell the boarding schools and debutants on him. So, why did this refined man jump automatically into a fist fight to defend her honor? And where the hell did he learn to street fight like that?

Bella sat staring out the passenger window. The events of the day settled into her mind. Edward had found out. Hell! She had found out just how much Edward still lived in her thoughts. Subconsciously, she had been crying out for her lost love. Though, did she still love him? Could she forgive? Was this worldly man that now sat beside her the same inside as the teenage man-child whom she had loved so much? Questions kept rolling in her mind. She couldn't fight them, it was like the floodgates opening and nothing stopped up the flow until it was ready to stop itself.

Edward was filled with questions of his own. He wondered if James Kent was honest when it came to Bella's sleep-talking? Edward knew that Bella talked in her sleep from his own past observations, but had Kent been telling the truth about her crying for him? Did Edward really feature so often in her dreams still? Could this knowledge be used to his advantage?

Was it time to tell her the truth? Would Bella believe him? Believe that he never slept with Alice and that he had only kept quiet as a promise for his brother? That Jasper made him swear not to say anything until he told their parents for fear of Alice going to jail for statutory rape? That Alice could have lost her whole career because she fell in love with his then sixteen year old brother. When Edward made the promise to be their beard, he thought he had lost Bella forever. He had spent so many nights crying to Ali and Jazz about how Bella never came, how she didn't love him enough to come with him.

After Bella ran, Edward had begged the other two to release him from his promise. Alice had wanted to go after Bella herself, explain why she was so cold. None of them had known about Charlie and all Ali knew was that this girl who had caused me so much pain was now standing there asking for me back like nothing happened. Alice the over protective friend that she is saw red and became a major bitch. To this day she feels shitty about it. Edward had told her 'no' though, that he needed to talk to Bella first.

However, when Edward went to find Bella she was gone. Then his parents informed him that Bella had a baby with another man. The rumor that Bella and Maggie put out about Bella sleeping with someone else made it to me. That's why he stopped looking for her, if she moved on and was having a child with someone else, who the fuck was he to get in the middle of it? Edward's head began to hurt with all these past pains and thoughts running through it. He sat in the back seat beside Em, while Rose drove them back to the Swans, his eyes closed. He thought only of what could have been.

As the car pulled into the Swan's driveway, Bella breathed a sigh of relief. Rose's cell phone went off and she opened the driver's door.

"Damn." She said, annoyance filling her voice. She turned to Bella. "It's Royce, I'll be inside in a moment." Walking off into the yard talking on the phone.

"Royce?" Edward asked, but Emmett's face held more questions.

"Her man of the moment." Bella laughed gently.

"Is he a masochist?" Emmett grumbled and Edward laughed.

"No, he's a dentist." Bella smirked and walked in the back door.

"Mommy!" Emma ran into Bella's arms.

"Hey, sweetie." Bella said hugging her child close.

"Hey, Princess." Edward said from behind Bella.

"Daddy!" Emma giggled and turned to hug him, "Uncle Emmett, they let you out of the dog house?" She asked the big bear man.

"Dog house?" Bella looked at her mother.

"Well, it was easier to explain than the big house." Renee retorted.

"True." Edward said on a laugh.

Emmett looked seriously at the child, not hearing Rose come in the door. Emmett knelt in front of Emma and smiled.

"That particular dog house is filled with bad dogs who bite and," he paused for effect, "they smell really bad!" He laughed and tickled Emma who fell into a fit of giggles.

Bella smiled at how lightly Emmett seemed to be taking his hour of jail time. She didn't know if she'd be able to handle it that well. Looking up she caught her sister watching Emmett and Emma, her face expressionless, but her eyes were full of fear like she just saw a ghost.

Edward watched Bella trying to read her, but all he saw was Bella starring questioningly at Rose. Looking at Rose himself he was shocked at her eyes. He hadn't seen that look since Rose was seven and a found a rat in her bedroom. Bella had screamed at him that day to get the rat out of the house, rats were Rose's phobia and she was terrified of them. What was about Em that has caused that same fear for her?

"Children, are we going to stand around the kitchen all day or…?" Renee took in all the players in the room. She began to think of this as a game. Edward steps forward, Bella steps back and vice versa. Emmett and Rose, Renee had to laugh to herself, were the WWE of sexual tension, fight to the end and if Renee was right neither would ever be the same.

"No, Mom." Bella laughed and grabbed her daughter to her, "Emma and I have to finish unpacking and Rose promised to help." Looking pointedly at Edward and then Emmett.

"And I guess… I should go visit with my Mom." Edward said reluctantly. To which in response to Rosalie opened the door and stood to the side. Renee reached her crutch out and whacked her daughter's ankle.

"Mom!" Rose cried in pain.

"Behave." Renee retorted, "Emmett what are your plans for the rest of the day?" Renee inquired.

"Slaving over work for Edward. It's a never ending job." Emmett said; trying to hide his laughter at the display mother and daughter just put on.

"Don't I know it?" Bella mumbled under her breath, but Edward heard it and turned and grinned at her.

"Experienced working for me, are you?" He lifted his right eyebrow, a sexy half smile that weakened Bella's knees then graced his lips.

"Only for… I don't know maybe, um… second to twelfth grades." She laughed.

"Hey, I did my phys ed homework myself." He laughed as well.

"Yeah and all that running practice ought to help you get out of here before Rose slams the door on you both." Bella laughed again and turned to her daughter. "Say bye to your dad, we have a lot to do and half the day is gone."

After Emma said goodbye to Edward and ran upstairs Bella walked the men out.

"You need to ice your ankle, Edward." She told him.

"Yeah." He replied waving goodbye to Emmett who drove off in his own rental.

"Bella, we still have a lot to talk about. Nothing was settled today." He took her right hand in his and looked into her dark chocolate eyes, "Bella, so much has happened, so much you _don't_ _know_ about. We need to talk about it."

"Edward." She barely said, his name sticking in her throat, his green eyes melting her insides.

"Shh… kitten," he placed a finger to her lips, "I keep trying to find the right words to explain things to you, to work out things. Our daughter _deserves_ us to get along, at the very least. But even if there was no Emma," he sighed as if that would be the worst thing in the world, "I'd have still found you one day. There are things left unsaid between us that we owe ourselves to say. We _owe_ it to the two kids we once were who loved each other with so much passion and intensity. Those kids, Kitten, would hate what we've become. The distance between us. The broken dreams. The lost time. Bella, we owe them, _ourselves,_ something for what we've taken from them."

"Edward, I'm not sure I can do this now. Today… _hell,_ this week has been an emotional upheaval. Just give me time to regroup. I need room to breathe." She begged him.

"Can I come by tomorrow to see Emma?" He asks softly.

"Yes." She responds.

"Bella, I'll try to be patient, but you know I lack a lot of it." She repressed a giggle, Edward had no patients, "I… oh, what the hell?"

Edward pulled Bella into his arms and held her tight. His lips sought out hers. At first hard and demanding, as soon as she submitted his kiss turned soft. She sighed into his lips. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, his tongue slipping slowly along it. Bella's mouth opened and his tongue slipped inside. Hers was soon mating with his. Their kiss taking on a life of its own. Urgency and need filled their bodies. Bella's legs soon were finding purchase around Edward's waist. His erection pushed into her. She was on fire, he was feeling alive for the first time since he last held her.

"What the hell? Edward, put my sister down now! Bella, go inside, you'll hate yourself in the morning, not only for giving in, but for entertaining the neighbors! Mrs. Cope just called Mom to tell her the two of you were going at it on the front lawn. She wants a wedding invitation!" Rose raged.

Bella and Edward looked at each other sheepishly. Nothing had been resolved with that kiss. In fact, all it did was make them both extremely horny. Bella blushed to her roots when she realized what had just transpired. Edward tried to discreetly adjust himself. His hard-on was a mighty bit uncomfortable. Emma sat at her window upstairs, giggling and planning. She knew that one day soon she and Mommy would be a family with Daddy.

"Tomorrow?" Edward asked heading towards his car.

"Tomorrow." Bella agreed going back in the house to face the wrath of Rose and the amusement of her Mom.

Tomorrow, he thought. Tomorrow he would tell her the truth. He drove to his parents' home with classical music filling the silence of the car. Inside he was surprised to find no one home. He went upstairs to his room and hit speed dial two.

"Edward!" She answered excited.

"Ali, I looked at that house for you and Jazz, it needs work but not too much." He told his old friend.

"Thanks, Edward, we're hoping that by being there when the baby is born, maybe your Mom will accept me. You know she still sees me as the whore who molested her sixteen year old son and destroyed her oldest son's life as well. Jasper even tried to explain that when he met me he lied about his age, she just ignores it. Claiming that once I knew I should have walked away. How was I supposed to walk away from the other half of me?" Alice said, her voice filled with pain.

"Ali, I've told you before, that this is between you and my Mom." Edward pinched the bridge of his nose, not wanting to get into this old argument.

"Have you told Bella the truth yet? Can I meet her now? Can I meet Emma now? Oh, I just know that one day we will all be friends. I can see the family picnics and birthday parties now." Alice said with so much joy. Poor Alice the reason she is so loyal to her friends, to the point of pit bull like actions, her parents died when she was nine, she then went to go live with a bachelor uncle who was in his late forties. He never paid her any attention, just shipped her off to school everyday, even when she was sick and made sure she had food and clothing. The cold upbringing made her long for a family.

"No, Ali, not yet. And knowing Bella, it might be a long time before she will ever be able to think of you as anything other than the bitch who sneered at her and was wearing my shirt, the morning she lost me." He could still kick Jasper's ass for wearing his best dress shirt out and letting Alice put it on that morning.

"You'll see, Edward, once she finds out that I'm not a home-wreaking whore, we will so totally be best friends!" Short stuff was such an optimist, but Edward knew Bella. Hell, Rose might try to kill Alice on sight.

"Alice, patience ok?" He sighed, "I need to go, I think my Mom is here now." They said goodbye and Edward walked slowly down the stairs. There standing in the foyer was Emmett, with Rosalie Swan attached to his lips. Clearly something was wrong with this picture.

**AN2: Reviews make me want to updated ;) **


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**AN: Thanks again to the lovely TwiDi, who gets my insanity and makes it pretty for me. Her story You Don't Know Anything is awesomespice and needs to be read :0) It's so on my favs list bbs. **

**Ok so if you don't read the blog you are unaware that I had a computer crash and had lost the update for this story awhile ago. It took some work but I got a new update for all of you :0) It won't be that long of a wait again. So for those of you still reading this, thanks so much for you being patient. **

**On the blog right now is the song that inspired this fic. **

Rosalie was seething mad after catching Bella and Edward kissing. Not kissing so much as dry humping in the front yard. What the hell was Bella thinking? What kind of power did Edward have over her sister? Has her sister lost all her self respect? How the hell had that happened?

Rosalie knew she needed to get Edward out of their lives, out of town. It was the only way to save Bella, the only way to save her sister from Edward's love mojo and from Bella's own weakness when it comes to Edward. Rosalie ran into the house and grabbed her keys. She made her way back outside to her car and made the drive to the Cullen family home. She went to knock the door but before her fist even made contact the door flew open and stud boy was standing there.

"Didn't we just leave you at your house?" He asks, all cocky and sexy, damn him.

"I need to talk to Edward." Rosalie tells him in her no nonsense voice.

"Do you have an appointment? Mr. Cullen is a very famous and important man." Rosalie snorted and rolled her eyes. Edward the ass was anything but important; he was a pain in the ass. Though from the look on his face, Rose would swear Emmett was getting off on annoying her.

"Where is he?" She demanded tired of this game. Rosalie pushed past him into the foyer.

Rosalie didn't really want to be alone with Emmett. After seeing him so sweet with Emma, right after beating James up for her honor, she was a little confused. When he was on the ground tickling her niece, she looked at him and could see a future with mini-Emmetts running around. It fucking terrified her. Not that Rose didn't want children, she'd love a house full of the little rugrats. It was the idea of that oaf stud boy being the sperm donor that terrified her.

"Not here for you, princess." He taunts. Rose reached up a hand to smack him but he grabs it before it makes contact. Rosalie leans in towards his face.

"Where is your boss?" She demands right into his face and heard him mutter, "what the hell!" before kissing her soundly on the lips.

Rose fought for all of two seconds before kissing him back. His tongue was in her mouth and it felt almost like his dick ramming her core; the sensations in her body were so intense. Rose's leg hitched up and Emmett pushed her back against the wall and took the leg in his hand, grinding into her. She could tell he would be massive. His other hand wound in her hair moving her head in the directions that he wanted, he was in control. She had never let a man be in control before, somehow Emmett being in control felt right.

"What the hell?" Edward said, startled to find Emmett and Rosalie in a passionate embrace. They were lucky that it was him that caught them, God knows what Carlisle and Esme would do if they caught them, let alone Lizzie.

"Edward, this isn't what it looks like." Emmett was the first to recover. Emmett's erection was tenting his pants for all to see, which clearly made his denial a lie. Edward had to hold back a laugh at that.

"Your ape of a manager, or whatever the hell he is, molested me when I was coming here to tell you to get the hell out of town and stay away from my sister!" Rosalie screamed.

"Molested you? Please, lady, you were the one to throw your leg up and open your mouth wide open." Emmett scoffed.

"Ok, both of you shut the fuck up. First off this is not the place to be doing whatever that was, secondly I am not leaving town." Edward informed them both.

"Don't you realize that you are just going to ruin her life, Edward? Are you that selfish that you would destroy the mother of your child?" Rosalie kept going, her temper leading her to say more than she normally would. "I don't want to have to pick my sister up off the ground again, or have her disappear to God knows where because of you, Edward Cullen! Your selfishness is why my sister has had to raise a baby by herself. Your idiocy is why she dated that asshole of an abuser James. All the bad stuff that happened to Bella, is because of you." She said fiercely.

"Do you consider Emma something bad?" Edward's voice was cold, but his eyes colder.

"No, never!" She conceded.

"Rosalie, I've known you since the day you came into this world, I've bandaged your bleeding knees, got you slushies when you were depressed and just had to have one. I know you well little girl; and I know that if you try to run me out of town and succeed, you will just end up hating yourself. I suggest you take a step back. This is between Bella and I. I will promise you one thing, though. I will never do _anything_ that will hurt Emma. She is my number one priority." Edward looked at the fierce and beautiful blond and had to hold back a smile. She wasn't so different from the little girl who used to stomp her foot and pout when things didn't go exactly her way.

"Hurt her and die, Cullen." Rosalie threatened. "As for you, McCarty, stay the hell away from me." With that she stormed out.

Edward and Emmett looked at each other and engaged in a silent conversation. It was basically 'do I want to know?' with the answer of 'I don't even know myself'. Emmett went to excuse himself to make phone calls and Edward stopped him going back to the Rose topic one last time.

"Emmett, I'm going to repeat what she said, hurt her and die. She might be a pain in the ass, but she is as much a kid sister to me as Lizzie." Emmett looked horrified.

"Dude, wouldn't go near her again with a ten foot pole."

"Emmett, just remember what I said." Emmett gave a nod and left.

Edward was still holding back his laughter though. Emmett and Rosalie… _interesting_. He wondered what Bella would think about it.

~0~

"Now, Emma, be on your best behavior tonight, ok?" Bella implored of her child.

Bella and Emma were going to be having dinner with the Cullens this evening. Emma had been so excited to meet her other set of grandparents that she changed her outfit four times, till she got the perfect look. She had then begged her mother to do her hair in curls and pull it back. She wanted to be pretty so they would love her.

"I will, Mommy." Emma assured her Mom.

"Ok." Bella said allowed and then mumbled under her breath, "Here goes nothing." And knocked on the door.

"Bella! Emma!" Lizzie swung the door open. Bella smiled, Emma on the other hand blushed and became shy.

"Lizzie, how are you?" Bella asked politely.

"Great, even better now that this little one is coming to spend time with us." Lizzie bent down to Emma's level. "Hello, Emma, I'm your Aunt Lizzie, do you remember me?"

"Yes. Hi, Aunt Lizzie." Emma said sweetly and opened her arms for a hug. Emma really was a sweet affectionate child, even if she was plagued by her mother's shyness.

"Ah, there're my girls." Bella's head popped up and she looked at Edward, he was wearing a deep green dress shirt and slate grey pants, it took all she had not to drool.

"Daddy!" Emma squealed and ran into her father's arms.

"Hey, Emma." He kissed the tip of her nose and she squealed with excitement.

"Bella, it's wonderful to see you again, dear." Carlisle came forward and pulled Bella into a fatherly hug. Then turned to see Emma.

"Emma, this is your Papa, my Dad Carlisle." Emma got down and walked over to Carlisle.

"Hello, Papa." She said with a huge smile on her face and he leaned down.

"Hello, Emma, it is a true honor to meet you." She opened her arms and he reached down further and hugged her.

"Hello, Emma." A soft voice called coming into the room.

"Hi." She responded shyly.

"I'm your, Nana, I'm Esme, your Daddy's Mom." Esme said with warmth and love. Bella realized then how much she had missed Esme and Carlisle.

"Hi, Nana." Emma said with another big grin.

"Can I get one of those wonderful hugs?" Esme asked with a smile. Emma nodded and ran over to hug Esme. Bella could see tears in Esme's eyes as she hugged her granddaughter for the first time. She felt guilty for keeping her child away from them for so long.

"Hey, short stuff."

"Uncle Em!" Emma ran out of her Grandmother's arms and into those of her faux uncle's.

Bella slowly approached Esme, who had yet to acknowledge her presence. The two women looked at one another. Esme's eyes were full of hurt. Bella was like a daughter to Esme and the fact that she had kept her grandchild away for so long hurt. Though Esme knew that Bella had her reasons and Esme had no idea how she herself would have responded if she had been in Bella's position.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Bella said loud enough for Esme to hear, tears in her eyes. Esme's heart melted, she opened her arms and embraced Bella.

"Shh… it will all be ok, Bella. Don't worry." And like the natural mother that she is Esme welcomed her almost daughter back into her arms and into her heart.

~0~

Dinner went surprisingly well, Bella thought. She and Edward didn't growl at one another, or try to attack each other in any way during the course of the meal. Esme was enthralled with her granddaughter. And Carlisle's smile never left his face. Lizzie and Emmett just kept grinning at the whole lot. Lizzie had heard from Mrs. Cope about Bella and Edward's little front lawn display and filled Emmett in. The two of them had a bet to see how much longer it would be before Edward and Bella got back together.

"How about we adjourn to the family room?" Carlisle asked. Everyone agreed, though Emma kept asking what an 'adjourn' was. Bella explained it to her and Emma had a new favorite word, she wanted to sound smart like her Papa.

"So, Bella, you're taking over Renee's class?" Esme asked as they a sat side by side on the love seat watching the boys play Candy Land with Emma. Lizzie had to leave; she had a hot date with the local vet.

"Yes. I'm really enjoying it. I have to get my certification switched over to Washington state, though. The county and state have both agreed to give some leeway on the issue seeing as Forks is a small town and it's hard to educators wanting to move here." Bella explained.

"If you need any help, let me know." Esme smiled. "In fact, I'd love to have time with Emma to go do girlie things, like shopping." Bella smiled.

"Of course, anytime, just let me know beforehand, so I can have her ready." Bella was so happy that Esme welcomed her daughter so freely into her life.

"Really?" Esme asked with hope in her eyes. Bella nodded. "Oh, thank you, Bella, it means so much to me that you trust me with your daughter."

"Esme, you helped raise me, I think I know you are a great mom and influence on a child." Bella joked giving the older woman a hug. Esme beamed from inside. There is nothing like one's child telling them they are a great parent and meaning it to make one happy and proud of the job they did.

"Hey, where is everyone?" A male voice rang out.

"Family room!" Emmett bellowed without a thought.

"Hello, family." Bella looked at the tall blond-haired man who so resembled Carlisle.

"Jasper?" She said out loud, happy to see the boy she knew grown into a handsome young man.

"Bella!" He exclaimed and looked to Edward. Edward took in Jasper's look and then his eyes flew to Emma. This wouldn't be good.

"Did you find them, Jasper?" A voice that sounded like wind chimes with a slight southern accent said.

"Yes." Jasper answered stiffly, not really knowing what to do or say right at this moment.

"Tell me you haven't brought _that_ _woman_ into my home?" Esme growled.

"Mom, calm down." Edward said, drawing his Mom's attention to Emma on the ground playing still.

"Mom, listen…" Jasper was cut off when a tiny ball of energy came into the room.

"Edward!" She squealed and ran to hug him. Edward stood stiffly in her arms, patting her on her back slightly.

"What?" She pulled back puzzled that her old friend wasn't more affectionate. She caught the movement of his eyes and looked to see a miniature female version of Edward. "Emma!" She said with true delight. Emma looked up and smiled.

"Hi." Emma said politely. Bella was frozen in her place beside Esme. Memories flashing in her mind, she was close to a panic attack.

"Hi, Emma, I'm your Auntie Alice." She smiled at the child. That propelled Bella out of her seat.

"No you are not." Bella said firmly. Alice looked over at the woman she had once judge so wrong, the woman who held Edward's real happiness in her hands. Alice knew Bella had every right to hate her, but she hoped that they soon would be friends.

"Hi, Bella." Alice said softly. "Actually, I am her Aunt. Umm…" Alice bit her lip and held out her left hand, "Jasper and I got married yesterday in Vegas. And we are having a baby." With that news, Esme passed out, Carlisle looked like the rug was taken out from under his feet and Bella's head began to spin. The room whirling around and around.

"Bella!" Edward screamed as she slipped down to the ground.

"Well, this isn't good." Emmett said taking in the two passed out women, "Alice, I didn't know you could make women pass out that weren't fans." He joked lamely.

"Momma?" Emma said going to her Mother's side. She touched her face gently and started crying. Her Momma wasn't answering her, Momma always woke up when she called her name.

"Edward, I'm going to get the smelling salts, get Bella on to the sofa so she is more comfortable." Carlisle told his oldest.

"Yeah." Edward mumbled and picked up Bella's almost lifeless and pale figure and placed her on the sofa. Jasper was at their Mother's side trying to get her to wake up.

Emmett went over and picked Emma up, she had little tears running down her face and it was breaking his heart.

"Hey, shorty, it's ok, Momma just had too much excitement, as did Nana. Papa, is gonna fix them though, ok?"

"Promise, Uncle Em?" She asked, her big green eyes boring into him.

"Promise, munchkin."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know she would freak out like that." Alice apologized to the room. "Well, that _they_ would freak out like that."

"Alice, now isn't the time." Edward informed her.

"When is it going to be the time, Edward? You need to tell her the truth." Alice told her old friend. "She needs to know that you and I weren't doing anything, ugh! Edward, she needs to know that you looked for her until you thought you lost her." Alice stomped her foot, exasperated that it was taking him so long to tell the truth.

Carlisle was soon back with the smelling salts. Esme came around first. She was disoriented until she remembered what happened and she sat and alternately glared at Alice then Jasper. Bella came around looking into Edward's eyes. She smiled softly and reached out a hand to touch his face, she was just as disoriented as Esme had been. Only, Bella believed she was coming out of a bad dream. She was on the sofa in the Cullen family room where she and Edward had been so many times before, with her love leaning over her.

"Edward." She whispered.

"Bella." He whispered back. She leaned up and placed her lips to his gently. Edward kissed her back softly, not knowing where this affection was coming from, but not going to turn down a chance to kiss his Bella. Bella was pulled out of her daze with a squealing happy noise coming from her daughter.

"Momma, you're alive!" She ran and jumped in between her parents kissing her Mom's cheek.

"I am, sug, I am." She said looking into Edward's eyes.

"So, what do you mean you are married and having a baby?" Esme demanded. She was trying to keep it in, so Edward, Bella and Emma could have their sweet family moment but the internal rage would not be held down.

"Mom, perhaps now is not the best time." Jasper said.

"Jasper, sit." Esme demanded and Jasper obeyed. "Explain."

"I would really like to hear this myself." Bella interjected. "Edward, why is your sometime's _girlfriend_ married and having a baby with your younger brother?"

"Umm…" Edward was still a little dazed by the kiss and really didn't want to get into this with Emma here. "Emmett, why don't you take Emma home, it has to be close to her bedtime?"

"Emmett, get the booster seat out of my car for her." Bella told him. She wasn't going to argue, she wanted to know the truth.

"Come on, Shorty." Emma said goodnight to the adults and gained Bella's promise to come and give her a night, night kiss when she got home. Once she was gone, Bella went and sat back beside Esme. Esme took Bella's hand in a sign of solidarity against a common enemy.

"Explain." Bella demanded. Edward took a look at Jasper, then Alice, then his eyes met Bella's and he nodded. It was time for the truth.

**AN2: Reviews make me smile and get my fingers typing. **

**A great fic ****The Harder they Fall by IronicTwist fanfiction(dot)net /s/5257177/1/**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful beta and friend the lovely TwiDi. She cleans up my messes and tells me when I've gone way off base or right on track. Love ya bb. **

**So it's been awhile, this story is hard as hell to write. Many reasons a lot of it has to do with writing in 3****rd**** person. Which I don't plan on doing again. **

**This update is short, but it's important and it gives you some of what you have been waiting for. *If you are still hanging around to read it after all of this time.* **

"_Explain." Bella demanded. Edward took a look at Jasper, then Alice, then his eyes met Bella's and he nodded. It was time for the truth._

"It's time, Edward, tell her the truth." Jasper said out loud. He just wanted to make sure that Edward understood the look he gave him, the one that said it's time. Jasper's guilt over this situation has never ebbed. He needed this to finally come out. Even though he got his precious Alice out of this mess, he still grieved the loss of his friend Bella and in a way… for the loss of his brother. Without Bella, it was as if Edward functioned and got through the day… but he was no longer alive, an essential part of Edward was missing.

"Bella, I honestly don't know where to begin." Edward moaned and ran his hands through his hair.

"Why don't you start with that morning? The one where I walked in on that _slut,_ over there, wearing the shirt I helped you pick out." Bella told him through clenched teeth.

Alice groaned a little at being called a 'slut', but kept quiet. She knew that she deserved Bella's wrath right now, she just hoped that when the truth came out that they could become friends. Alice just knew that Bella would someday be as close a friend to her as Edward is.

"I've never slept with Alice." Edward began. He really had never slept with Alice. The short sprite was only a friend; never a lover. "That morning you came in, Alice had been in bed with Jasper, who had run out to get her some breakfast before you got there. That's why you never saw him."

"Wait! Jasper was like sixteen then." Bella says confused, she wasn't sure if she believed any of this. "And Alice was like thirty."

"Twenty two," Alice puts in, "I was only twenty two years old."

"I was _almost_ seventeen." Jasper says sheepishly. "But I told Alice I was nineteen when we first met. We met at the party she was having for her new album release. Edward was invited there because he sold a song to her and she wanted to meet him. Edward let me come along. I was on vacation from school and Mom and Dad didn't know I was there, they thought I was camping with Peter and Garrett." Jasper looked at Edward for help then. Edward sighed and took over.

"I found out, two weeks before you found us, that the two of them had hooked up and declared themselves soul mates. I forced Jasper to tell her the truth about his age; and they fought. However, they couldn't stay apart. Jasper made me promise that I wouldn't tell anyone, he was terrified of Alice going to jail or having her career destroyed because of him. When I made that promise, I thought I'd lost you, Bella. You weren't there and you hadn't called or came to me, so I thought we were over.

"When you showed up, I was stunned, I couldn't grasp the fact that you were standing in front of me. Then you saw Alice and she overreacted. In her head, you had broken my heart. She didn't know all the details, only that I was hurting over you and she lashed out. She would have lashed anyone she believed to have hurt one of her friends. I mean, Jasper and Alice had to listen to my crying and moaning about missing you for a while; and she was like a Momma bear protecting her cub from more harm.

"Hearing about Charlie being gone, you standing there and with Alice's little tirade, I froze. I was shocked and couldn't react. It took me a moment, but I did race after you. I screamed your name and you never stopped, never looked back." He stopped to take in her ashen face.

"Please continue, son, I think we all need to hear this." Carlisle told his oldest son. He had never heard the whole story either.

"I gave you two days to get back home, to hopefully calm down. When I called, Rosalie answered the phone and told me you weren't there, that she thought you were with me. I guess you hadn't checked in and told them yet. I begged Alice and Jasper to release me from the promise to not tell anyone about them. I felt that they owed me that. I was allowed to tell you, but no one else. After calling for weeks on end and you never showing up, I got worried. I flew back to Forks, I stalked your house but you never came home. Finally, Renee took pity on me and said that you were fine, but that you didn't want to see me or talk to me."

"Mom talked to you?" Bella asked in shock. Renee had never mentioned this. On top of all of this information.

"Yes, Bella, it was brief and I think she did it out of pity for the pathetic boy who haunted her front step day after day." He shook his head. "I left then and went back to Nashville, I thought maybe if you had more time to cool down, then you'd listen to me. Less than two weeks later, my Mom called to tell me that she heard you were having a baby with some guy you met after…" He trailed off not sure how to put the weird break up they had.

"And you didn't think that I deserved the truth, because you _thought_ I was carrying another man's child?"

"I lost all fucking hope, Bella. You were gone, having a baby with _some_ _guy_. No one knew who the hell it was. I thought you hated me and had moved on. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that you were actually having my baby. I never thought that my sweet Bella would do something like that, have my child and never tell me." He said bitterly. "You'd moved on, who the hell was I to get into the middle of it?" He spat.

"You left _me_ when I needed you the most, Edward!" She yelled, angry that he had suddenly putting all the blame on her instead of him. "I lost both you and my Dad the same damn day. Then when I find you, some girl is there, wearing your clothing. I was eighteen, pissed, hurt and I wanted to protect my child from that. You hurt me! I wasn't going to let you hurt my child. I didn't trust you to change my tire at that point; I didn't want you near Emma!"

"You were a woman scorned, Bella, you knew I wouldn't have hurt our child. You were selfish only thinking about yourself. You were protecting youself from me." All the bitterness that he had been holding back, the anger at being denied his daughter for so long was exploding like lava from a volcano. Bella was raging back though.

"You didn't try _hard_ enough to find me, Edward, to tell me the fucking truth! You let the little harpy pedophile attack me while wearing your fucking shirt!" Bella just couldn't get over Alice wearing Edward's shirt.

"I was in fucking shock!" Edward bellowed in return. Bella stormed to the other side of the room, she turned and glared at him.

"In all the time you were gone, I had an address, Edward, that's all. You _could_ have called. You _knew_ my home number."

"You could have written. You were the one who didn't show up. I didn't call because I didn't think you wanted me to call." He retorted.

"Oh my," she spouts out sarcastically, "I was just so in the frame of mind to think about writing a letter. I couldn't even remember if I took clothes out of the dryer. I was so stressed and depressed. Why the hell would I think of writing a letter to a man who fucking left me?" She demanded of him.

"Can't we all just agree that you were both young, a bunch of crap happened and that both of you are to blame?" Jasper asked with uncertainty in his voice. He never liked conflict and Bella and Edward were about to wage world war three in the family room.

"Shut up, Jasper!" Bella and Edward yelled at him at the same time.

"Jasper, sit down and be quiet, please, they need to work this out." Esme inserted.

"Bella, we could sit here volleying back and forth over what I did wrong and what you did wrong. What the truth all comes down to is while I left, in an impetuous eighteen year old boy way, and hurt you, I _never_ slept with Alice. I kept quiet for my brother due to an out-of-date sense of honor that says 'a man never breaks his promise'. God, I know better now. With age came knowledge. Today, Bella I would walk up to your door and demand to know why you weren't waiting for me. Today, I would have talked to my Dad instead of fight him."

"Edward, we can't blame it all on age and then do a list of 'could have', 'should have', 'would have's." She shook her head. "You _broke_ me. I gave birth and struggled to raise a baby, all while dealing with a broken heart. I cried myself to sleep almost every night for a year." She glared at him. "How hard would it have been to say 'Bella, it's not what it looks like'? Or at least, to tell the pedophile to shut up when she was doing her attack on me?"

"Hell, Bella, you yourself just said 'would' couldn't play the 'should' have game." He looked her in the eyes. "Isn't it time we just put the past where it belongs and do what's right for our daughter?"

"I've always done right for _my_ daughter, Edward." Everyone in the room felt a cold chill go up their spine from her tone. "Since before she was born, I've done _everything_ to protect and love her. Don't you dare try to say different, Edward. Don't you fucking dare!"

"Bella…" She cut him off.

"I can't fucking do this, Edward, I just fucking can't." Bella stormed past the shocked people assembled in the family room.

"Dude, Bella was pulling out of here faster than a Nascar driver. What the hell did I miss?" Emmett asked as he joined everyone.

~0~

Rosalie watched as Bella came storming into the house. She went to stop her but, by the look on Bella's face, Rose knew it wouldn't be a good idea. Rose knew Edward was to blame for this and she was going to confront him. Grabbing her keys, she drove off to the Cullen mansion.

Esme answered the door looking frazzled. Rose greeted her politely and Esme smiled and pointed her towards the family room.

"What happened?" Rose asked her.

"Everything was going so well. Then Jasper showed up with Alice Brandon." Esme told her.

"The slut?" Rose replied automatically.

"Yes. The slut who had sex with my son when he was a sixteen year old boy; and is now married to him. And I guess they are having a baby as well." For the first time ever, Rose thought that Esme looked every year of her fifty two years of age. Esme looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders.

"Wait, are you talking about Jasper?" Rose asked confused.

"Yes. My baby boy. That bitch, that _pedophile_ married my little boy. After she has kept him on the other side of the country since he graduated high school. Everyone thought it was Edward she was dating. It was Jasper all along." She sighed heavily. "And now she is carrying my grandchild. I'm so torn apart, Rose." Esme admitted.

"You are not alone, Esme. This is a messed up situation. You should have seen Bella when she came home. She rushed in and up the stairs. It was if she was locked into a world of her own."

The two women entered the family room where Edward and Emmett were pulled to one side talking in hushed tones together. Carlisle was sitting staring into the fireplace. Jasper and Alice were cuddled up together.

"So, who's going to take the blame for my sister's crying?" Rose demanded coming in the room.

"Rosalie." Edward groaned.

"Yes, Edward?" She snarled.

"We aired a lot of things out tonight, neither of us walked away unscathed. Just, please, don't make it worse." Edward begged. He really wasn't in the mood to fight with Rose.

"Hi." A bell like voice rang out from beside Rosalie. Rose turned and looked down at the oversized gnome beside her.

"Yes?" She asked coolly.

"I'm Alice, Jasper's wife. We've never met, so I just wanted to introduce myself."

"Seriously?" Rosalie turned on her 'bitch's face'.

"Yeah." Alice responded. Confused as to why this stranger was looking at her like she wanted to slit her throat.

"Well, _Alice_, 'Jasper's wife' let me introduce myself. I'm Rosalie Lillian Swan, little sister to Isabella Marie Swan. The girl you attacked and helped to break her heart years ago."

"Down, Rosie." Emmett cautioned from the sidelines. Thought, if bets were being placed, his money was going on the blond knockout.

"McCarty, did she lick your disco stick too? Is that why you are all team Alice?" Rose responded to Stud boy.

"What?" Alice asked looking perplexed.

"Rose, go home and take care of Bella." Edward told her gently. "I think we've all had enough for the night."

"Whatever, Cullen." Rose tossed her nose in the air and went home to be nearby in case the dam broke and Bella needed her.

"What is a disco stick?" Alice asked still wondering what the scary blond was talking about. Emmett couldn't help it; he started laughing followed soon by Edward then everyone else in the room.

"Oh, God, I hope she doesn't run again." Edward mumbled under his breath after he stopped laughing, but Esme heard him.

"Edward, you're just going to have to put faith in her right now." Esme sighed and continued, "both of you need to rebuild your faith and trust in each other if you want any kind of relationship together. Even if it is just a cordial sharing of custody one."

"I know, Mom. I just don't…" He trailed off.

"Edward, don't hurt her. She's fragile."

"Mom, I've never _wanted_ to hurt Bella and I still don't. I just want…" Once again in his frustration he trailed off.

"Edward, what do you want?" Esme prodded softly.

"I want her back, Mom. I just want my family back." He admitted to her and himself.

"Well, then, we have some work to do." Esme smiled brightly. For the first time in a long time, she felt hope that her eldest son would find happiness again. Bella has always been Edward's happiness. Probably always would be. Only now, it included Emma. Esme's mind drifted to Emma, Edward and Bella in a happy family union, Bella pregnant with their next child. It would be wonderful. At least one of her sons could have a great family life, with the _right_ woman. A small sadness encroached on her momentary glow.

Jasper. What the heck was she going to do about him?

~0~

Bella sat watching her child sleep wondering what to do now. She didn't know if she believed Edward and she wasn't sure she could forgive him. What she did know was that time might change many things, but it hasn't seemed to change the fact that Edward affects her like no one else. Be it love, or anger… he was the one who could pull it out of her. Now, she just had to decide what to do with that knowledge.

And she needed to figure out how to stop her body from reacting to his every touch.

Somehow, she was sure that it was neither going to be quick nor easily fixed.

**AN2: I'm going to try and get another chapter out soon. Reviews will be a wonderful way of motivating me to write on it ;0) **

**For those of you reading Homecoming there is an outtake in the Fics for Nashville compilation. It's from the mind of Victoria. If you need the link for this it's on my blog. **


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